BUFFALO (WBEN - Brendan Keany) - While fentanyl deaths are decreasing, Erie County Health Commissioner Gale Burstein is warning the public about a rise in cocaine-related deaths over the past couple years.
"We wanted to alert the public about the trend that we're seeing in our medical examiner's office of the increasing cocaine-related deaths in Erie County," said Burstein. "Unlike opioids, which are a depressant, cocaine is a stimulant, so it will have some significant effects on the heart."
Short term:
- Increased Heart Rate
- Muscle Spasms
- Convulsions
- Paranoia
- Heart Attack
- Stroke
- Seizure
- Respiratory Failure
Long term:
- Sleep Deprivation
- Loss of Appetite
- Psychosis
- Permanent Blood Vessel/Brain Damage
- High Blood Pressure
- Liver, Kidney, Lung Damage
Burstein also noted that the cases of someone overdosing with both fentanyl and cocaine in their systems is increasing as well. She says the office has been alerted to more instances of cocaine being laced with fentanyl in recent years, and that may have something to do with the increase in death.
"Although people may read that there's no FDA approved medication to treat cocaine addiction, there is behavioral counseling that is proven to be effective," said Burstein. "There are also medications that have been successfully used that are off-label to treat cocaine addiction, so there are options, and I don't want people to feel hopeless."
