Mixing Cocaine and Alcohol: Effects and Risks

Polydrug abuse, i.e. mixing drugs together is a dangerous practice. Mixing alcohol and Cocaine together is the most common form of this abuse. The common notion that alcohol decreases the negative effects of the drug Cocaine, gave way to people abusing both of them together. Since alcohol acts on the GABA receptors, it also enhances the euphoric effects of many substances.

There could be many reasons why people commit polydrug abuse. From reducing the negative effects of cocaine like twitching and anxiety to increasing physical energy after severe alcohol consumption to certain social situations that demand polydrug consumption, the reasons may vary for each individual. But the dangers from this combination could be very detrimental to a person’s health.

Side effects of Cocaine and Alcohol combination

• An intense euphoria
• Increased energy levels and mental alertness
• Heart palpitations
• High blood pressure
• Increased body temperature
• Decreased appetite
• Reduced inhibitions
• High risk-taking ability
• Anxiety and paranoia
• Restlessness, irritability, and aggression
• Sleeplessness
• Dilated pupils
• Increased drug cravings
• Slowed reaction time and reflexes
• Feeble speech
• Loss of motor coordination
• Blurred vision
• Impaired judgment
• Memory loss, even blackouts
• Dehydration
• Depression
• Dangers of Mixing Alcohol and Drugs

When Cocaine and Alcohol Are Mixed Together

It has been noticed by EMCDDA that half of cocaine abusers are also dependent on alcohol. This indicates a close link between these addictions. This combination is especially effective in partying and nightlife scenarios where the users mix it for an enhanced high. This combination which could lead to addiction, abuse and negative health consequences is also regularly administered by people outside these social situations.

People who suffer from serious mental conditions also have been observed to self-medicate with these drugs to find solace from their symptoms. People suffering from bi-polar disorder and schizophrenia are especially susceptible to combination drug abuse. Since there is a mania associated with bi-polar disorder, patients are likely to develop alcohol abuse as a co-occurring disease to be able to alleviate the mania. These people may also develop a cocaine use disorder to modulate the effects of depressive episodes. While in fact, drug and alcohol addiction are more likely to make mood disorders like depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder worse, people with conditions like undiagnosed bi-polar disorder may combine these two moods altering substances to regulate their mood.

The dangerous by-product

The mixture of alcohol and cocaine when metabolised through the liver, gives rise to a by-product called Cocaethylene, that over a period of time can pile up in the body and lays stress on major organ systems like the cardiovascular system and damages the liver.

Cocaethylene also results in high blood pressure, high body temperature and poor judgemental skills in users. An increase in cocaethylene has also been linked to sudden death.

Consequences from cocaethylene production include

• Myocardial infarction, or heart attack with heart pain
• Cerebral infarction, or death of blood vessels and brain tissue, leading to brain damage, stroke, or aneurysm
• Intracranial haemorrhage
• Cardiomyopathy, or heart disease
• Cardiac arrhythmia, which can contribute to a later heart attack

Long-Term Health Damage from Mixing Cocaine and Alcohol

“Combining alcohol and cocaine increases the risk of suicide.” Say a Brown University Study. The study mentions that out of 874 people who paid visit to an emergency room after abusing this combination, at last 195 of them attempted suicide. These people have a 2.4% higher risk of attempting suicides than other people.

Cocaethylene results in high BP and High body temperature in the users and damages kidneys and liver in them. This combination of alcohol and cocaine is said to speed up the process of liver damage which otherwise may take time with alcohol abuse alone. Cocaine abuse over a period of time results in permanent high BP that damages the kidneys in the users and sometimes could prove fatal for them.

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