Some posts about the possible mental or physical states of LS & co. have made me think about how the various drugs (alcohol, Xanax, & cocaine) that we’ve been talking about could account for their behavior & memory. Here’s some information that I thought could be useful or interesting: (Sorry if I repeat some from a previous post.)
Alcohol & Cocaine:
1. When cocaine and alcohol are taken together, the combination has “greater than additive” cardiotoxic effects, specifically increased heart rate. This is what many people refer to as “synergy” – the total effect is more serious than what would be predicted based on just what is known about each individual drug. (The paper I read just didn’t call it “synergy” because of methodological limitations.)
2. Cocaine does not significantly increase BAC. Alcohol increases the level of cocaine in the blood only when it is administered before or during cocaine absorption. Also, alcohol consumption before or during cocaine self-administration increases subjective experience of the cocaine “high,” and the preference for cocaine.
3. Taking alcohol and cocaine together seems to be associated with decreased impulse control, and with increased violent thoughts.
4. “Cocaine also has quinidinelike direct cardiotoxic effects, causing intraventricular conduction delay, as reflected by widening of the QRS and prolongation of the QT segment. In large doses, blockade of the fast sodium channels prolongs the slope of phase 0 of the cardiac action potential, which may result in a negative inotropic response, bradycardia, and, often as a precursor to death, hypotension from decreased contractility and dysrhythmia.” (
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/813959-overview#a0104)
5. In general, the risk of sudden death caused by cocaine + alcohol is 25x that of cocaine alone.
Alprazolam (Xanax) & Alcohol:
1. Alprazolam is a triazolobenzodiazepine; for practical purposes we can consider it a benzodiazepine, like diazepam or lorazepam. These drugs are CNS depressants, and can be classified as anxiolytics and sedative-hypnotics. Sedation, often used interchangeably with tranquilization (aka ataraxia or neurolepsis), is a state of CNS depression in which an individual is awake but calm. The person may be aroused with sufficient stimuli, but he or she is relaxed, reluctant to move, unconcerned with his/her surroundings, and potentially indifferent to minor pain.
2. Multiple studies have shown that, at clinical dosages (.5, .75, or 1 mg) alprazolam impairs recall and recognition of stories and words. This is a dose-dependent effect (higher dose = poorer memory).
Xanax bars contain 2 mg of alprazolam.
3. Although alprazolam by itself relieves anxiety, the combination of alcohol and alprazolam
increases anxiety.
4. In addition, co-administering alprazolam and alcohol is associated with increased aggression.
If anyone wants references, just let me know. I didn't include them because this post is probably too long already...
