Painkiller Overdose in the U.S. Declines in Recent Times: CDC
The number of deaths from painkiller overdose in the U.S. declined in the recent years, according to a survey reports.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released its statement on deaths related to drug abuse in the country. The agency experts found between the years 1996 and 2006 the number of cases of pain killer overdose increased by 18 percent year after year. But, the figure drastically dropped with only 3 percent increase between 2007 and 2011. CDC's overall data on painkiller overdose has shown a three-fold increase in the last two decades , reports the USA Today.
Recent data suggests the overdose of prescription drugs has exceeded the cases of heroin and cocaine abuse since 1999. But recent efforts by the federal bodies to curb death rate and suicides caused by taking painkiller medications like maintaining patients' medication history and medical conditions has acted postively.
Studies on opioid use among veterans revealed a shocking state of medication overdose which is more than the double of national average. Many doctors and healthcare providers are strictly instructed to furnish patient's medication records and history to state registries to cross check if they are treated by other physicians where they can have additional access to painkiller drugs. But the rules are not mandatory and are left to the practitioner's discretion of whether or not he likes to follow the rules, reports the Time.
The changes are a result of controlling the usage of methadone, drug given to relieve pain and help heroin addicts get rid of their unhealthy habit. Earlier in 2006, the Food and Drug Administration informed doctors to limit methadone prescription.
The experts also attributed legalization of medical marijuana as one of the reasons behind the decline in pain killer overdoses in certain states across the U.S. The study by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health recorded 25 percent lesser incidence of painkiller overdose in 23 states. The Drug Enforcement Administration is all set to implement further restrictions on hydrocondone drugs like vicodin as schedule 11 drugs and their prescription will be limited to only 30 days.
