Prescription Opioids Involved In Two-Thirds Of Overdoses Treated In Emergency Departments

About 67.8% of opioid overdoses treated in emergency departments (ED) in 2010 involved prescription medications. Overdoses involving prescription opioids accounted for 1.1% of deaths. Heroin accounted for 16.1% of overdoses.

These findings were reported in “Presentation of Prescription and Nonprescription Opioid Overdoses to US Emergency Departments” by Michael A. Yokell, ScB; M. Kit Delgado, M.D., MS; Nickolas D. Zaller, Ph.D.; N. Ewen Wang, M.D.; Samuel K. McGowan, AB; and Traci Craig Green, Ph.D., MSc. The authors analyzed the 2010 Nationwide Emergency Department Sample to identify characteristics of visits due to opioid overdose. Additional . . .