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During a five year period at the Harlem Hospital Center nine heroin addicts were seen with strokes. Four occurred after loss of consciousness following intravenous heroin. Two occurred in patients using heroin at the time, but were not related to overdose or to a particular recent injection. The youth of these patients and lack of other predisposing factors suggests that heroin played a role in their strokes. In the other three patients, the relationships of stroke to heroin is less persuasive. There are several possible mechanisms by which heroin abuse could lead to stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a clinical case of quinine amblyopia related to heroin addiction. Case report of the patient; Effects of quinine on the human body.

Neurologic manifestations of severe infectious complications of drug abuse and chronic alcoholism are reviewed in this article. Portals of entry from cutaneous postinjection infections and multiple vascular injection sites may lead to pyomyositis, tetanus, infective endocarditis, meningitis, brain abscesses, and vertebral osteomyelitis. Chronic intranasal abuse of cocaine may be followed by frontal osteomyelitis, botulism, brain abscess, and visual loss. Problems of hepatitis, malaria, and syphilis in drug abusers are discussed also.

Decreased neuronal population densities are described in the globus pallidus of narcotic addicts. Toxicologic studies indicate mixed addiction to be frequent, but exposure to parenteral heroin is the only common factor. This permanent brain damage seems more likely to be caused by recurrent episodes of hypoxia during severe reactions to narcotics than to be related to direct neurotoxic effects of heroin. The lesion may account for some of the long term changes observed in addicts.

The Harlem regional stroke program has been a demonstration model designed to detect, treat, and follow up stroke and hypertension patients through collaboration with a municipal teaching hospital, community practitioners, local service organizations and a major medical school. Many aspects of the stroke program appear suitable for replication at the local or regional levels in varied settings. In particular, the program has demonstrated the need to link community outreach programs, stressing early detection and preventive-care education, with sustained treatment and follow-up programs. The stroke program has also suggested ways in which specialized programs can be incorporated into long-term comprehensive health planning and care facilities at local and regional levels.