The Comorbidity of Alcohol Dependence and Nicotine Dependence

Joe, Keun Ho; Kim, Dai Jin

Abstract

Alcohol and nicotine dependencies are known to be severe disorders on their own and particularly they get worse if they coexist. However, few optimal therapeutic approaches are available for comorbid nicotine and alcohol dependencies, although studies have suggested that more than 95% of alcoholics had comorbid nicotine dependence. Nonetheless patients, caregivers, and even health professionals gave a failure to notice of the health problems caused by nicotine dependence. In addition, some clinicians believe that concomitant intervention of nicotine dependence may have the risks increased during treatments of alcohol dependence, possibly by aggravating symptoms of alcohol dependence or provoking relapse. However, we need to give more attention onto the fact that harmful effects of alcohol and nicotine would be amplified when they coexist. In fact currently available data showed that medical morbidity may be dramatically increased when the two psychiatric conditions coexist. Furthermore, alcoholics have an increased tendency of smoking during a recovery phase from alcohol dependence and even may suffer more complications from smoking. Hence we will review the health risks posed by concurrent alcohol and nicotine dependencies as well as explore the effects of additional smoking cessation therapy on the quitting rate, the alteration of drinking behavior and relapse rate of alcohol dependence, in comorbid alcohol and nicotine patients. Finally proper smoking cessation therapy should be also provided for motivated patients to quit smoking at proper treatment phase and routine clinical advices should be appropriately provided for patients who are not motivated to quit smoking as well in clinical practice.