Friday, March 23, 2012

In the News--Prescription Painkiller Overdoses


The headline reads, “Prescription Painkiller Overdoses in the U.S.” 
Every year prescription painkiller overdoses kill nearly 15,000 people. (2008 figure).  This number has tripled in the last nine years. 
These overdoses involve pain medicines such as hydrocodone, methadone, oxycodone and oxymorphone.  One in 20 Americans (ages 12 and older) misused these drugs (without a doctor’s prescription or for the high these drugs cause).  Nearly half a million emergency room visits (2009) occurred due to people misusing and abusing these pain killers.  

Who is most likely to misuse and overdose on these painkiller?  More men die of overdoses of prescription pain killers than woman.  Middle-aged adults account for the largest number of overdoses using prescription painkillers.  People who live in rural counties are twice as likely to overdose as people who live in big cities.

What can a person do to avoid this problem?  Do not share prescription painkillers with others and use the medicine only as prescribed by your doctor. More information about prescription painkiller overdoses can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/Features/VitalSigns/PainkillerOverdoses/

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