A Utah study found that prescription drug-related harm, including death, primarily involved opioids, according to a report in the journal Pain Medicine.
The report is part of a special supplement in the journal, examining statistics, causes and adverse events of extended-release opioid analgesic drugs such as methadone, morphine and oxycodone.
Another study in the journal revealed rising opioid-related overdose deaths starting in the early 2000s. In addition, the FDA reported that 33 million Americans misused extended-release opioids in 2007, compared with 29 million in 2002, and opioids were responsible for almost 50,000 ED visits in 2006.
In another study also in the supplement, researchers observed that it is very difficult to safely treat chronic pain in patients who have serious mental health issues. They recommended striking a balance between treating pain and preventing harm.
See the Pain Medicine special supplement on opioids.
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