Alcohol Dependence and Simultaneous Cocaine and Alcohol Use in Cocaine-Dependent Patients

Abstract

Alcohol use and associated factors were studied in 124 consecutive cocaine-dependent admissions to an outpatient substance abuse clinic. Two analyses were conducted: First, those who did and did not meet criteria for current alcohol dependence were compared on sociodemographic and drug use characteristics. Second, patients who reported simultaneous cocaine and alcohol use on > 50% vs. < or = 50% of the occasions that they used cocaine were compared using the same dependent measures. Fifty-seven percent of patients met criteria for current alcohol dependence. Those with and without alcohol dependence did not differ on any sociodemographic characteristics, but those with dependence scored higher on the alcohol and family subscales of the Addiction Severity Index, the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test, and measures of alcohol use, and were more likely to use cocaine and alcohol simultaneously, to use cocaine with friends and in social settings, and were more likely to report financial difficulties and unwanted sexual relations as adverse consequences of their cocaine use. Sixty-four percent of patients reported > 50% simultaneous cocaine and alcohol use. The two groups did not differ on any sociodemographic characteristics, but those reporting greater simultaneous use were more likely to be alcoholic, scored higher on most measures of alcohol use, and were more likely to report using cocaine with friends and in social settings. The only other differences observed between the two groups were fewer reports of seizures or difficulty concentrating in the group reporting greater simultaneous use. The present results confirm prior reports on the widespread prevalence of alcohol dependence among cocaine-dependent patients and extend them by providing new information on the prevalence and other characteristics of simultaneous cocaine and alcohol use.

The Neuropsychology of Cocaine Addiction: Recent Cocaine Use Masks Impairment

“…Concurrent use of alcohol is also common among CUD. It is associated with more severe cocaine dependence (Higgins et al, 1994) and higher reports of adverse cocaine use consequences (Heil et al, 2001). NP deficits, such as attention, memory, and executive and motor functions, are commonly impaired with chronic alcohol use (Parsons and Nixon, 1993;Beatty et al, 2000;Ikeda et al, 2003); however, it is unclear how alcohol is related to NP deficits in cocaine addiction.…”

Single versus multiple drug focus in substance abuse clinical trials research

“…For example, estimates indicate that 30-60% of alcoholdependent individuals abuse cocaine (Caetano and Weisner, 1995;Martin et al, 1996;Tsuang et al, 1994), 20-50% abuse marijuana (Caetano and Weisner, 1995;Martin et al, 1996;Tsuang et al, 1994), 12-20% abuse benzodiazepines (Ciraulo et al, 1988;Ross, 1993) and 7-10% abuse heroin (Caetano and Weisner, 1995;Martin et al, 1996;Tsuang et al, 1994). Prevalence of marijuana abuse in cocaine-dependent patients ranges from 25 to 70% (Higgins et al, 1994;Hubbard, 1990;Schmitz et al, 1991), and lifetime prevalence of alcohol dependence exceeds 65% in both treatment-seeking cocaine users as well as those not seeking treatment (Carroll et al, 1993). Fifty, 33, 47 and 69% of heroin-dependent patients are regular users of alcohol, benzodiazepines, cocaine, and marijuana, respectively (Ball and Ross, 1991).…”

Gender differences with high-dose naltrexone in patients with co-occurring cocaine and alcohol dependence

“…Studies indicate that up to 60% of patients seeking treatment for cocaine dependence are also dependent on alcohol (Higgins, Budney, Bickel, Foerg, & Badger, 1994;McCance-Katz et al, 1993;Miller, Gold, Belkin, & Klahr, 1989), and combined addiction to these two agents presents a formidable challenge to treatment providers. Cocaine-alcohol dependent patients suffer more adverse addiction-related consequences, greater psychosocial problems, and higher rates of recidivism than patients addicted only to cocaine (Brady, Sonne, Randall, Adinoff, & Malcolm, 1995;Carroll, Rounsaville, & Bryant, 1993;Heil, Badger, & Higgins, 2001;Mengis, Maude-Griffin, Delucchi, & Hall, 2002).…”