OPIATES OVERDOSE DEATH DOUBLE IN THE WOMEN POPULATION

 

Drug overdose were for the longest time led by men overusing drugs and the prescription painkillers that have become a leading cause of death in drug users. 

The reason for the change, the CDC says in the latest study they have published on deaths by overdose of prescription drugs, is that women are now abusing the medications at an equal if not greater percentage than men. 

Death from opiate overuse has quintupled in the past decade, from 1999 to 2010, from 1287 to 6631.  

Men's deaths, on the other hand, have risen by almost four times, to about 10,000 deaths in the same period. 

Each year, 17,000 people die of prescription opiate medication overdose.  That's four times the rate of overdoses of just a decade ago. 

The CDC is urging caution in prescribing such medication, which in many cases can be obtained without a diagnosis of pain supported by clinical studies.  

Almost 1,000,000 women ended up in the emergency room in 2010 due to drug overuse or misuse.  Top causes of overdose deaths are heroin and cocaine, with opiates running a close third. 

The reason for the increase in the use of opiates by women, is probably due to the fact that they are not illegal, and therefore give the user a sense of legitimacy, especially when there is presence of some degree of pain or medical condition.  In addition, women are more likely to be prescribed the drug, for reasons that might have more to do with gender perceptions, and a higher degree of complaints of common and non common pain.  Women are believed to be more sensitive to pain.  

But because women weigh less than men, they are more prone to overdosage and abuse of the prescription. 

What causes most deaths, furthermore, is a mixture of things.  It's opiates and alcohol, or several other drugs, like opiates and anxiety drugs.  

Some also believe that women might become addicted to opiates to mask mental and emotional trauma.  

In addition to overdose deaths, the increase in opiate use has also caused neonatal addiction to triple in the past decade.  

Source : NBC / 7.2.13.