Key result
Cocaine use linked to rare ascending aortic thrombus and embolic complications following anticoagulation interruption.
Why the study?
Ascending aortic thrombus in a non-aneurysmal, non-atherosclerotic aorta is rare, and cocaine-associated thrombus in this location has been rarely described.
Case Report (n=1)
Cocaine use can be associated with the rare occurrence of ascending aortic thrombus in a structurally normal aorta, which can be managed with therapeutic anticoagulation.
Anticoagulation interruption risks embolization in cocaine-associated aortic thrombus; leaves open optimal duration and cessation strategies.
Aortic thrombosis without coexisting atherosclerosis is uncommon. Sometimes, aneurysms or dissections can predispose to thrombus in the abdominal or thoracic aorta. However, ascending aortic thrombus in a non-aneurysmal, non-atherosclerotic aorta is a rare occurrence. Although arterial thrombosis has been linked with its use, cocaine-associated thrombus of the ascending aorta has been rarely described. We report a young man with regular use of cocaine presenting with constant, burning, left-sided chest pain. He was found to have a large thrombus in a structurally normal ascending aorta. Medical management with therapeutic anticoagulation was started. Despite an interruption of anticoagulation treatment for two months due to non-compliance, the man survived. This unique case highlights the importance of various vascular complications associated with cocaine use, their early recognition, and their treatment.
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Vu et al. (2023) conducted a case report in Ascending Aortic Thrombus (n=1). Cocaine use was evaluated on Ascending aortic thrombus. A 55-year-old man with regular cocaine use developed a rare ascending aortic thrombus in a structurally normal aorta, leading to embolic complications after interruption of anticoagulation.
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