Exposure to cocaine and lidocaine at the same time can cause seizures or death. Both agents exert a synergistic effect on each other.
Situations where a person may be exposed to both cocaine and lidocaine:
(1) cocaine "cut" with lidocaine
(2) cocaine use while receiving lidocaine therapy
The simultaneous exposure to cocaine and lidocaine can cause a significant increase in:
(1) seizures
(2) death
The presence of lidocaine does not cause a false-positive urine drug screen for cocaine. The presence of lidocaine in a patient with a positive urine drug screen for cocaine is probably due to lidocaine being used to "cut" cocaine in the street product. Any positive result on a drug screening test should be tested by GC/MS or other confirmatory technique.
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