The number of drug poisoning deaths involving opioid analgesics more than tripled from 1999-2008 and opioid analgesic were involved in more than 40 percent of all drug poisoning deaths in 2008, according to a CDC report.
The number of poisoning deaths involving opioid analgesics increased from 4,000 in 1999 to 14,800 in 2008. That's a more rapid increase than for deaths involving other types of drugs or only nonspecified drugs. During that same period, the percentage of drug poisoning deaths that involved opioids increased from 25 percent 40 percent.
The majority of these deaths involved natural and semi-synthetic opioid analgesics, such as morphine, hydrocodone and oxycodone. The number of deaths involving these drugs increased from 2,700 in 1999 to 9,100 in 2008. The number of deaths involving methadone, a synthetic opioid, increased from 800 in 1999 to 5,500 in 2007 — a sevenfold increase. However, from 2007-2008, the number of deaths decreased by about 600.
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The number of poisoning deaths involving opioid analgesics increased from 4,000 in 1999 to 14,800 in 2008. That's a more rapid increase than for deaths involving other types of drugs or only nonspecified drugs. During that same period, the percentage of drug poisoning deaths that involved opioids increased from 25 percent 40 percent.
The majority of these deaths involved natural and semi-synthetic opioid analgesics, such as morphine, hydrocodone and oxycodone. The number of deaths involving these drugs increased from 2,700 in 1999 to 9,100 in 2008. The number of deaths involving methadone, a synthetic opioid, increased from 800 in 1999 to 5,500 in 2007 — a sevenfold increase. However, from 2007-2008, the number of deaths decreased by about 600.
Related Articles on Opioids:
Dr. Jack D'Angelo: Patient Safety is Key When Preventing Opioid Abuse
7 Recent Efforts to Combat the Opioid Abuse Problem
New York City Launches Task Force to Combat Prescription Drug Problem