Drug overdose deaths reach record high — CDC

Almost half a million lives have been lost to opioid drug overdoses since then.

“Since 2000, the rate of deaths from drug overdoses has increased 137%, including a 200% increase in the rate of overdose deaths involving opioids (opioid pain relievers and heroin)”, the CDC reports.

The most commonly prescribed opioid pain relievers, those classified as natural or semi-synthetic opioids such as oxycodone and hydrocodone, continue to be involved in more overdose deaths than any other opioid type. Opioid overdose deaths increased 14 percent from 2013 to 2014.

“The sharp increase in deaths involving synthetic opioids, other than methadone, in 2014 coincided with law enforcement reports of increased availability of illicitly manufactured fentanyl, a synthetic opioid”, the report stated.

During the last 15 years the rate of abuse among prescription opioids has also raised, just as it was the case with illicit opioids like heroin.

“The increasing number of deaths from opioid overdose is alarming”, CDC director Tom Frieden said in a statement. More people are also dying from fentanyl, an opioid that is sold as a heroin.

Given that the count represents a spike across all demographics-for adults in every age range, for both women and men, and for blacks and non-Hispanic whites alike-the report should certainly be viewed as worrisome.

Yet, the epidemic persists-particularly in the states of West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Utah, Kentucky and New Mexico, which had the highest rates of overdose deaths in the USA previous year. The new report, however, suggested that heroin-related death had something to do with the drug’s accessibility. Deaths from heroin overdoses rose 26%. People with the highest risk of using heroin are those who became dependent or who abused prescription opioids during the past year. Since 2000, overdoses from opioids have quadrupled, the report noted.

Limit initiation into opioid misuse and addiction. The agency is trying to produce new guidelines that would encourage doctors to prescribe potentially addictive painkillers only as a last resort.

Expand access to evidence-based substance use disorder treatment-including Medication-Assisted Treatment-for people who suffer from opioid use disorder.

“One in 100 people will die in this state of an opioid overdose”. CDC also improves patient safety by equipping health care providers with data, tools, and guidance so they can make informed treatment decisions.