Limited sex differences in response to "binge" smoked cocaine use in humans

The subjective and physiological effects of repeated smoked cocaine self-ad ministration were compared in 11 men and 9 women. Twice a day, on 2 consecu tive days, participants smoked up to six 50-mg doses of cocaine base, at 14 min intervals. Men and women self-administered a similar number of cocaine doses (21.7 and 21.6, respectively). The most striking sex difference teas that women had higher cocaine plasma concentrations than men (632.7 ng/ml vs. 376.7 mg/ml) after the sixth cocaine dose of the first session. After t he first cocaine dose, women reported that they would spend significantly l ess for the dose than men ($1.58 vs. $3.15). Although cocaine produced simi lar effects in men and women 4 min after each dose, 15 min after the last d ose of the session, heart rate and blood pressure remained elevated in wome n, but ratings of "I want cocaine" were lower in women a compared to men. T hus, smoking cocaine produced similar acute subjective effects in men and w omen, but prolonged cardiovascular effects and higher cocaine plasma concen trations in women. (C) 1999 American College of Neuropsychopharmacology. Pu blished by Elsevier Science Inc.