Cocaine (benzoylmethylecgonine) is a central nervous system stimulant derived from the leaves of the coca plant. Cocaine which is also known as coke, is a strong stimulant mostly used as a recreational drug. It is commonly snorted, inhaled as smoke, or as a solution injected into a vein. Drug tests looking for cocaine and other drugs are routinely used by employers who hire workers in certain job categories. Enzyme immunoassay (EIA) is a widely used screening method designed to specifically detect benzoylecgonine and to a lesser extent, cocaine and ecgonine methyl ester (secondary cocaine metabolite).
Testing methods used to detect benzoylecgonine, which is the marker for cocaine, may be in the following forms:
1.Blood test doesn’t require much preparation. The patient must be asked to fold the sleeves and present the hand for blood sample collection.
2.Hair sample test: Hair samples which is approximately the diameter of a pencil and 1.5 inches long must be collected to carry out the testing method.
3.Saliva test doesn't have any nationally-adopted standards or cutoffs for determining the cutoff for a positive test.
4.Urine test doesn’t require a lot of preparation. The subject will be asked to prepare themselves to provide their urine sample.
A blood test is most likely to be used to accurately determine whether an individual is under the influence of a drug at any given time. The hair sample test reveals to an individual the use of cocaine up to 90 days after use. Saliva tests are becoming more popular for detecting illicit drug use, since they are relatively non-invasive and are less expensive than hair or blood testing.Coke can be detected in saliva for 24 hours after use. A urine test is relatively inexpensive and can detect relatively recent (within the past seven days) use as well as long-term exposure to the drug.
Cocaine can be detected by carrying out the following procedures:
-Blood test is the most invasive form of testing.
This test requires the collection of blood samples from the patient’s vein which will be further examined in the laboratory to provide accurate detection of the presence or absence of cocaine in the patient’s blood.
-A hair sample test involves taking a small sample of hair (approximately the diameter of a pencil and 1.5 inches long) from the head of the individual being tested,the tracers can move up and down the hair shaft during the process of detecting the presence of cocaine.
-A saliva test is carried out by screening the patient’s saliva. Cocaine can be detected by this test over a period of 24 to 48 hours after the last use. This time may vary according to each person's metabolism, as well as the quantity and quality of the drug that was consumed.
Type | Gender | Age-Group | Value |
---|---|---|---|
Cocaine
|
Unisex
|
All age groups
|
> 1mg/L
|
Getting intimate with your partner is an interest which is also known as libido. Its loss can affect both men and women to lose interest in sex. There are many causes for this including stress, chronic ailments, decline in the frequency of sexual activity, and even relationship problems. Let us look at ways in which one can deal with the loss of sexual interest in men.
Symptoms: To begin with, let us understand the tell-tale signs that point to the loss of sexual interest in men. Usually, this condition is characterised by the lack of connection or emotion with the sexual partner or the act, not being able to look forward to enjoying a session with your loved one, having sex only once or twice in a month, not being an initiator any longer, and almost never having fantasies or sexual thoughts.
Causes: There are many causes behind this condition ranging from erectile dysfunction to performance anxiety, to stress and medical conditions like diabetes and cardiovascular diseases that can lead to a decline of sexual interest in men. Depression is also one of the causes.
Medical Intervention: To begin with, the very first thing that one must do if the lack of sexual interest persists is to visit a doctor so as to have the problem checked thoroughly. Also, one can visit a psychiatrist or a sexologist in order to address any stress related reasons for the lack of interest. Couples counselling and sex therapy can help in understanding the root cause and realigning the brain with the help of discussions and various exercises that can heal and activate. Also, medication for the condition may be prescribed in case the underlying cause has to do with a medical ailment like premature ejaculation or erectile dysfunction.
Imagination: One of the greatest tools that can help in activating sexual interest is imagination. When you imagine you and your partner entwined in various sexual scenarios, you may be more open to the idea of trying those scenes out.
Focus on the Body: Any good sex therapist will tell you that focussing on the whole body rather than the intimate body parts will help in a slow yet steady build-up of stimulation that can culminate into a satisfactory intercourse and orgasm, thereafter.
Planning: Building anticipation is the key to bringing back some excitement in an area that you had considered dormant, with certain shared experiences and activities so that it can graduate to attraction, excitement and then sexual peak.
The use of various toys, medicines like anti-depressants and therapy can go a long way in bringing back your lost libido. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Sexologist.
Diabetes is often considered as deadly as cancer. It is a disease that requires lifestyle changes and diet modifications. It is also a disease that affects almost the entire system of your body. Whether you have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, it will do you a world of good to understand the effects of diabetes. Neurovascular damage is one of the most common effects, this means that diabetes will affect the nerves and blood supply of the body.
While Type 1 diabetes makes its presence felt much earlier and is hereditary quite often, Type 2 appears later in life with age and cumulative stress. The effects of diabetes are related to the duration of the disease. Therefore, people with Type 1 diabetes are more likely to have the symptoms early on and need to learn to manage them. Type 2 makes its appearance later, but needs good monitoring for the effects to not surface or prolong the severity of symptoms.
As we all know, all body systems are affected by diabetes, sexual health is no exception. Diabetes decreases blood supply and impacts the nerves in the genitals, thus causing a series of issues right from reduced libido and erectile dysfunction in males to vaginal dryness and painful coitus (perunia) in females.
Listed below are issues diabetic men and women face in terms of sexual health:
In Men:
In Women:
Finally, as much as it may sound as a cause for concern, it is not. People with diabetes know that making small lifestyle changes can go a long way in terms of onset of symptoms, their severity, and the leading of a normal life. Modifications in diet and lifestyle to include healthy eating, reduced stress, and exercising are very useful. It is also very important to talk to your doctor about how your sexual health has changed with diabetes. It is a sensitive and private topic, but if you are concerned about it, then do not hesitate to seek help. If you wish to discuss any specific problem, you can consult a sexologist.
Sleep is the most essential part of our lives because it is the time when our body gets rejuvenated and recharged. However, due to numerous reasons, quite a few individuals fail to achieve proper sleep or any sleep at all. This condition in which a person is unable to sleep at night can be termed as insomnia.
Causes of insomnia
There can be varied reasons for different people that can cause insomnia.
In case of the treatable medical reasons, insomnia is gone once the problem is treated. However, for people who have no idea as to why they suffer from insomnia, here are certain tips that can help in fighting it.
Lifestyle changes to cure insomnia
Starting with a significant lifestyle change can be a great way to change one’s sleep cycles and get a good night’s sleep.
Tips that can help
Epilepsy is a neurological disease which is characterised by recurring epileptic seizures. These seizures can be brief or can persist for prolonged periods. Vigorous episodes which last long can result in physical injuries such as broken bones. Mention that 6th February is International epilepsy day.
Causes of Epilepsy
The cause of this condition isn’t very evident; however, most medical practitioners attribute epileptic seizures to brain injury, tumours, infections in the brain or birth defects. Some doctors believe that epilepsy is caused due to genetic mutations and is an outcome of abnormal activity of cells in the brain. Other causes for this condition can be alcohol or narcotics withdrawal and electrolyte problems.
Symptoms
Types of Seizures
A seizure, also known as fit, is usually a brief episode characterised by uncontrollable jerking movement and loss of awareness due to abnormal neuronal activity in your brain. A collective occurrence of these seizures causes epilepsy.
There are three types of seizures an epileptic person usually encounters.
Treatments
Five facts about epilepsy you need to know:
Epilepsy is a brain triggered disorder that can result in the affected person having seizures or convulsions of the body. Such convulsions last about a few minutes and the person undergoing epileptic seizure might be unaware of what’s happening to him/her during those brief moments. They may recover and appear disoriented for a few minutes more.
Epilepsy can’t be cured but is treated through medicines called anticonvulsant drugs.
Epilepsy is a brain-related disorder that can cause the person to go through involuntary shaking of the body and the limbs. It is usually treated with drugs. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Neurosurgeon.