North Carolina Licensed Clinical Addiction Specialist (LCAS) Practice Test

Chronic cocaine use is associated with significant health risks, particularly concerning the cardiovascular and neurological systems. One of the most critical consequences of prolonged cocaine use is the damage it can inflict on the heart. Cocaine stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, leading to increased heart rate and blood pressure, which can result in various heart problems, including arrhythmias, heart attacks, and cardiomyopathy.

Additionally, cocaine use can lead to neurological damage, as it affects neurotransmitter systems and may cause strokes or other cerebrovascular incidents. This dual impact on both the heart and the nervous system underscores the severe risks that chronic use poses to an individual's physical health, making this choice the most accurate representation of the health issues commonly associated with cocaine.

In contrast, the other choices do not accurately reflect the negative consequences of chronic cocaine use; for instance, reduced risk of heart problems and improved lung function run counter to documented evidence of cocaine's harmful effects, while enhanced cognitive processing misrepresents how the substance typically impairs cognitive functions over time.