Warning of extra heart dangers from mixing cocaine and alcohol

There is a growing suspicion that the drug (cocaine) may be at least partially responsible for the perceived increase in the number of people in their 30s suffering heart problems. According to US Drug Abuse Warning System, "cocaine/ethanol abuse is a major cause of emergency medical admissions" and "the cause of increases in cocaine-related mortality".

Steven Cox, deputy head of the charity Cardiac Risk in the Young, said around 12 fit young people are recorded as dying each week in the UK from a cardiac-related illness, compared with about four a week in 1995.

But Cox said this increase might be down to a better analysis of postmortem data, which has raised awareness of cardiac-related illnesses, rather than any external factor.

However, he said that an estimated one in 300 people who have been tested by the charity is found to have an underlying heart condition. "We do know that if you have an underlying cardiac condition certain drugs can trigger an effect," Cox said. But until someone proves the link, it seems unlikely that the trend for people to mix alcohol and cocaine will show any sign of abating.