CDC Releases Studies on Fentanyl

From 2013 to 2014, law enforcement encounters (drug submitted for analysis) testing positive for fentanyl sharply increased in a growing number of states, according to two new articles published today in Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Synthetic opioid-involved overdose deaths including fentanyl have also increased in multiple states. Recent investigations in Ohio and Florida provide strong evidence that increases in fentanyl deaths do not involve prescription fentanyl but are primarily related to illicitly-made fentanyl. Illicitly-made fentanyl is often mixed with or sold as heroin—with or without the users’ knowledge and increasingly distributed in counterfeit pills.  Key findings from 2013 to 2014 Law enforcement fentanyl encounters in the U.S. quadrupled. Synthetic opioid-involved deaths in the U.S. increased by nearly 80%, and these were likely driven by fentanyl-involved overdose deaths. Fentanyl prescription rates remained relatively stable. High-burden states show that all demographic groups had substantial increases in synthetic opioid-involved deaths, and the emerging patterns mirror the evolving demographics of those using heroin. In Florida and Ohio, both high burden states, Law enforcement fentanyl encounters and fentanyl-involved overdose deaths increased significantly. Fentanyl prescription rates increased only slightly (Florida) or declined slightly (Ohio). Fentanyl-involved overdose death ra...
Source: JEMS Patient Care - Category: Emergency Medicine Tags: Industry News Patient Care Source Type: news