Overview
Cross-reactions refer to unexpected reactions as a result of a chemical that interacts with something outside the intended target or reaction.
When cross-reactions between substances lead to a medical event, we might use the term combined drug intoxication (CDI). Mixing either alcohol or benzodiazepines with opioids, including pharmaceutical ones like vicodin or oxycodone, can lead to a compounding suppression of the nervous systems regulation of breathing that’s greater than the sum of its parts. Mixing depressants like alcohol with stimulants like cocaine places contradictory demands on the cardiovascular system, so rather than neutralizing each other, they add extra stress on the heart and lungs which can cause cardiac arrest or strokes.