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05:12
Chronic Intermittent Ethanol Vapor Exposure Paired with Two-Bottle Choice to Model Alcohol Use Disorder
Published on: June 23, 2023
[Cocaine and alcohol: a risky association]
Jérôme Lacoste1, Manuela Pedrera-Melgire, Aimé Charles-Nicolas
1Service de psychiatrie et d'addictologie, CSRM/USSARD, Hôpital Clarac, CHU de Fort-de-France, F-97261 Fort-de-France Cedex, Martinique, France. jerome.lacoste@chu-fortdefrance.fr
Presse Medicale (Paris, France : 1983)
|July 28, 2009
Summary
Cocaine and alcohol co-use is common, with alcohol often worsening cocaine withdrawal and cravings. Integrated treatment approaches are crucial for managing this dual addiction and preventing relapse.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Addiction Medicine
Context:
- Cocaine is a widely used illicit psychostimulant, frequently co-consumed with alcohol.
- Alcohol dependence affects a significant majority of individuals with cocaine dependence.
- Understanding co-use patterns is vital for effective addiction treatment.
Purpose:
- To review the relationship between cocaine and alcohol co-use.
- To outline treatment strategies for individuals with cocaine and alcohol dependence.
- To discuss the role of alcohol in cocaine withdrawal and relapse.
Summary:
- Alcohol is often used to alleviate cocaine withdrawal symptoms and can trigger cocaine cravings, leading to relapse.
- Treatment for cocaine and alcohol co-dependence may involve adapted alcohol withdrawal protocols, cognitive behavioral therapies, and potentially psychotropic medications.
- While several drugs are recommended off-label for abstinence, their efficacy in treating cocaine and alcohol dependence remains unproven.
Impact:
- Highlights the critical need for integrated treatment approaches for co-occurring cocaine and alcohol use disorders.
- Informs clinical practice regarding the management of withdrawal and relapse prevention in this population.
- Emphasizes the current limitations in evidence-based pharmacological interventions for combined addiction.
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