Cocaine Addiction and Alcohol Addiction Add Up to Heart Damage
It’s common knowledge that abuse of cocaine and/ or alcohol can cause significant health problems. Regular use of alcohol builds up and causes damage to the liver and kidneys while even a one-time, experimental use of cocaine can result in an overdose, heart attack or seizures. Unfortunately, when cocaine and alcohol are combined, the resulting damage is much worse than the effects of either drug alone.
Cocaine Plus Alcohol Equals Cocaethylene
Cocaethylene is a chemical that is created by the combination of the two chemicals cocaine and alcohol. Over time, with continued use of both drugs simultaneously, this chemical builds up in the liver and remains, causing extensive damage to multiple body systems.
This is the only known case in which two drugs combine in the body to form a third drug, and few people know about it, let alone realize the devastating effects. Unfortunately, many who experience health problems due to cocaethylene build up don’t do so until long after their days of mixing cocaine and alcohol are over. Many never considered themselves addicts during their use and still don’t. In fact, many of the people who are having problems with the chemical buildup in their body now describe their cocaine abuse as merely a tool to help them drink more.
The Effects of Cocaine Addiction and Alcoholism
Not only does cocaethylene have an adverse and toxic effect on the liver, it may also be the reason why some under the age of 40 experience heart attacks. The full effects of the drug are not known due to the fact that so little is known about the drug at all. Studies are being undertaken to better determine the nature of the chemical and its effects upon users of alcohol and cocaine, including how much is too much and how long is too long.
The current statistics on alcohol addiction and cocaine use are staggering, however. Cocaine use is on the rise and is indicated in an increasing number of emergency room visits: one person in the United States is admitted to the emergency room for issues related to cocaine overdose about once every 10 hours. The US National Household Drug Survey reports that alcohol and cocaine are used by about five million people every month.
The Social View of Cocaine and Alcohol
Few today recognize this third drug and its effects as a risk. Most view their use as minimal or experimental; if they aren’t using every day, then they don’t think that the health concerns are relevant to them. Those who drink and opt to use cocaine on occasion as well view it as a lifestyle choice, not as an addiction or the medical problem that it is and can potentially become.
Unfortunately, denial doesn’t make it true. The fact of the matter is that even irregular use of cocaine and alcohol creates the drug, which then builds up over time in the liver and can cause heart problems years down the road.
If you or someone you love is drinking regularly and using cocaine but can’t stop doing so alone, contact a drug rehab. Get help today.
Tags: Alcohol Rehab, Cocaine Addiction, cocaine addiction treatment, cocaine and alcoholism, cocaine rehab
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