Understanding various hypoxic conditions under cocaine-induced central-nervous system activation with special reference to blood electrolyte dynamics

Objective: The objective of this study was to elucidate blood electrolytic variation and mechanisms of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathies by cocaine in acute or subacute asphyxia. Design: A study of forensic medicine Materials and Methods: The C57BL/6 strain male mice of aged 6 to 7 weeks (weighing 23.2 +/- 2.4 g) were divided into 4 hypoxic groups (20 animals each). The mice of 4 groups were subjected to the following methods: acute asphyxia due to cervical dislocation; chronic asphyxia due to an insufficient supply of oxygen; acute asphyxia due to compression and closure of the airway; and asphyxia caused by aspiration of fluid into the airway or swallowing water. Results: In acute asphyxia caused by tracheal obstruction, a drop in the blood PO, level and the increase in the PCO2 level caused the respiratory acidosis. The hypoxic groups in the present experiment showed increases in the serum K+ and Call contents, reductions in the blood PO2 and rises in the blood PCO2. In drowning by aspirating fresh water, the movement of water into the circulatory system causes rapid hemolysis, causing little changes in the K+ level, and the blood Na+ concentration was reduced but the blood K+ and Ca concentrations rose instead. Conclusion: During acute or subacute asphyxia, the blood electrolyte contents exhibit characteristic changes. Specifically, the Na+, K+, and Ca2+ levels show general increases. In present study, cocaine use alters neurotransmitter concentrations and receptor dose-response relationships.