Lethal overdose from either illicit substances or prescription medications is a tragic occurrence. Unfortunately, a recent report from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) indicates that such occurrences are on the rise. In fact, total deaths from overdose have increased by an alarming 54% between 2011 and 2016. This rise in deaths due to overdose was driven by increased lethal overdose of nearly all drug classes studied (including opioids, benzodiazepines, and stimulants); however, the most dramatic increases in overdose between 2011 and 2016 were seen for the opioids fentanyl and heroin and the stimulants cocaine and methamphetamine. These overdose deaths include both unintentional overdose and suicide, with the number of deaths from unintentional overdose (54,793) exceeding the number of overdose deaths due to suicide (5086). The authors of this report also note that a vast number of drug overdose deaths involve more than one drug. In fact, nearly all overdose deaths due to drugs in the benzodiazepine class (alprazolam and diazepam) had concomitant involvement of other drugs. Taken together, these data provide an important look at the trends in lethal overdose that may inform both clinicians and policy makers as to the best strategies to prevent such deaths.
Reference:
Hedegaard H, Bastian BS, Trinidad JP et al. Drugs most frequently involved in drug overdose deaths: United States, 2011-2016. Natl Vital Stat Rep. 2018;67(9):1-13.
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