Skin signs of drug abuse

Question 1

A summary of skin signs of drug abuse

Answer 1

Question 2

A summary of infectious complications of drug abuse

Answer 2

Question 3

Write key notes on scars in cutaneous signs of drug abuse

Answer 3

1) Skin tracts - scarred veins with overlying hyperpigmentation
2) Skin popping - depressed scars, irregular, circular, hypertrophic
3) other - haemorrhagic crust, ecchymoses

Question 4

Name risk factors for infectious complications in drug abuse

Answer 4

1) skin popping
2) injecting speedballs (mixture of cocaine and heroin)
3) HIV
4) Booting (refilling syringe with blood + reinjecting)

Question 5

Mucuoud membrane lesions in drug abuse

Answer 5

1) snorting cocaine - anosmia, rhinitis
2) genitals - priapisme
3) sniffers rash - perinasal rash due to glue
4) gingival disease

Question 6

Drug induced reactions in cutaneous signs of drug abuse

Answer 6

1) morbilliform
2) urticaria
3) bullous eruptions
4) FDE
5) small vessle vasculitis
6) SJS/ten

Question 7

Vascular skin lesions in drug abuse

Answer 7

1) hematomas over injection sites
2) intra-arterial injection of drugs - livedo reticularis, ischemia, necrosis
3) septic thrombophlebitis
4) pseudoaneurysms
5) superficial and deep venous thrombosis
*can have ANCA, anti phospholipid positivity or protein c/s

Question 8

Name systemic complications of drug abuse

Answer 8

Question 9

Pictures of skin signs with drug abuse

Answer 9

Question 10

Pictures of skin signs with drug abuse

Answer 10