As we began to discuss here, opioids are dangerous, addictive, and have overtaken automobile accidents as the leading cause of accidental death in the U.S.
There is no denying that pain in the United States is a significant and serious problem. With over 100 million Americans suffering from chronic pain that is costing $560-635 billion per year in direct medical costs and lost productivity (2011 findings), this is something that needs to be managed. In the late 1980’s and early 1990’s prescription opioids were being provided more readily to help with the growing pain problem. Not surprisingly, the CDC found the first wave of opioid overdose deaths corresponding with this attempted to manage America’s pain in the early 1990s.
Jumping ahead, this same research helps to solidify the point that we are on a train heading in a bad direction… In 2016, the number of opioid overdose deaths was 5x higher than 1999. Additionally, it has been found that as opioids become less effective (a tolerance is built) and doses become higher, patients who receive high-dose opioid prescriptions face a risk of overdose and death that is nine times higher than low-dose patients.
So, what’s the mechanism? Why are they so dangerous?? As reported by the World Health Organization, opioids are psychoactive substances that affect the brain stem where breathing is regulated. With increased opioid intake, or mixing opioids with alcohol and/or other sedative medications, respiration (breathing) is depressed (slowed) excessively. While slowed breathing is not typically an issue if someone is awake and able to actively think about their breath, unconsciousness is another of the “opioid overdose triad” signs and symptoms. So, medically/pharmaceutically depressed respiration coupled with unconsciousness is a recipe for a fatal drug overdose.
Other unfortunate facts:
– 21% of individuals who take opioids for the first time have issues with opioids in the future.
– Opioids slow down the healing process and increase post-surgical complications
– Over 100 people in America die every day from opioid overdoses
– Many opioid abusers have access to prescription opioids through family members and friends
– Every 15 minutes a baby that is addicted to opioids is born
– Opioids are addictive in the first 3-5 days, leading to dependence
– Treatment with opioids was not superior to treatment with nonopioid medications for improving pain-related function over 12 months
– America is projected to have over 300,000 opioid-related deaths between 2015 and 2020
Additional Readings:
Physical Therapy First For Pain Management And Accelerated Healing