Cocaine abuse among heroin addicts in Spain

FRANÇAIS :
La consommation de cocaïne devient un problème important en Espagne. Cette étude porte sur 120 héroïnomanes admis à l'hôpital pour sevrage. 7, 5% d'entre eux font aussi usage de cocaïne et 25% de façon quasi quotidienne. Utilisée par voie intraveineuse, la cocaïne augmente les risques de contamination par le virus du sida. De plus, l'usage simultané des deux drogues (héroïne+cocaïne) a un effet immunosuppresseur. On note plus de troubles psychologiques et de dépression dans le groupe des cocaïnomanes. Les traitements adaptés jusqu'ici aux héroïnomanes, doivent tenir compte à présent, de cette double dépendance.
ENGLISH :
Abuse of cocaine is becoming a major problem among heroin addicts in Spain. Between 1987 and 1988, 75% of patients admitted as inpatients for detoxification from opiate dependence had consumed cocaine during the 6 months prior to admission and 25% had abused cocaine daily or several times / week. These cocaine abusers showed more toxicologic and psychopathologic problems than opiate addicts who did not abuse cocaine. The opiate addicts who also abused cocaine had begun using illicit drugs earlier and showed a higher frequency of anti-HIV antibodies. They also had more antisocial personality disorders and persistence of depressive symptoms during opiate detoxification than heroin addicts who did not abuse cocaine. Based on these findings, we insist on the need to develop different treatments for detoxifying patients with this dual addiction. (Author's abstract)