Open Access Emergency Medicine (Aug 2019)

Cocaine, ethanol, cannabis and benzodiazepines co-consumption among patients assisted at the emergency room

  • Teherán AA,
  • Pombo LM,
  • Cadavid V,
  • Mejía MC,
  • La Rota JF,
  • Hernández JC,
  • Montoya N,
  • López TS

Journal volume & issue
Vol. Volume 11
pp. 211 – 219

Abstract

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Aníbal A Teherán,1 Luis M Pombo,1 Vanessa Cadavid,1 María C Mejía,1 Jaime F La Rota,2 Juan C Hernández,3 Norma Montoya,4 Thalia S López31Research Center, Juan N. Corpas University, Bogota, Colombia; 2Toxicology Department, Santa Clara Hospital, Bogota, Colombia; 3Emergency Deparment, Clínica de Occidente, Bogota, Colombia; 4Clinical Laboratory, Clínica de Occidente S.A., Bogota, ColombiaCorrespondence: Vanessa CadavidResearch Center, Juan N. Corpas University, Carerra 111 # 159 A – 61 – Fundación, Bogota, ColombiaTel +57 1 662 2222Email [email protected]: Cocaine and ethanol (EtOH) co-consumption is a risk factor for physiologically and clinically negative outcomes. We describe the occurrence of cocaine consumption alone or co-consumption with EtOH and others psychotropics.Patients and methods: The descriptive research used data on medical records of patients positive to cocaine test who attended an emergency room between 2016 and 2017. We determined the frequency of cocaine consumption alone and co-consumption with EtOH, cannabis or benzodiazepines (BZDs).Results: Over one year period, 88 patients (13.3%) were positive to cocaine test, mainly attended on weekends, in holiday months, young adults or men. Among those positive for cocaine, 72% were also positive for EtOH, cannabis or BZD. Cocaine co-consumption with one or two out of three substance was 55.2% (CI95%; 44.7-65.8%) and 16.4% (CI95%;8.58-24.3%), respectively. Co-consumption was more frecuently wih EtOH, followed by cannabis or BZD.&#x00A0Conclusion: Co-consumption of cocaine with EtOH is very common and could be associated with acute or chronic consumption of cannabis or acute exposure to BZDs. It is important that emergency physicians use a systematic approach to diagnose and treat more than one psychotropic substance in cocaine positive patients.Keywords: cocaine, ethanol, emergency room, cannabis, co-consumption, psychotropic substance

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