The Safety, Tolerability, and Subject-Rated Effects of Acute Intranasal Cocaine Administration During Aripiprazole Maintenance II: Increased Aripipirazole Dose and Maintenance Period

Abstract

Objectives: This experiment determined the safety and tolerability of intranasal cocaine during aripiprazole maintenance. Methods: Six cocaine-dependent human subjects were maintained on aripiprazole (15 mg) and placebo for 10 days in counterbalanced order prior to assessing the physiological and subject-rated effects of intranasal cocaine. Results: Intranasal cocaine produced prototypical stimulant-like effects (e.g., increased blood pressure and heart rate, increased subject ratings of Like Drug and Stimulated), and aripiprazole enhanced these effects on several measures. Conclusions: Aripiprazole (15 mg/day) is safe and tolerable when combined with cocaine; however, the usefulness of aripiprazole as a treatment for cocaine-use disorders remains to be determined.

Keywords:

• aripiprazole
• cocaine
• pharmacotherapy
• physiological effects
• subjective effects