Opioid Poisioning Among Seniors

Startling new data reports that nearly a quarter of opioid poisoning over the past eight years were among those over 65 and places seniors as the top age bracket to be hospitalized, according to a recently released report by the Canadian Institute For Health Information and the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse.

The Ottawa Citizen reported November 16, 2016, that seniors are more likely to be prescribed opioid drugs because of chronic illness and ongoing pain and are at greater risk for drug interactions due to multiple prescriptions.  The report also detailed that more than half of opioid poisoning incidences among older adults were considered accidental, and could be as a result of failing to follow dosing directions as well as vision or memory problems.

Opioid dispensing for high-dose drugs such as oxycodone increased in Canada 23 per cent between 2006 and 2011, according to The Canadian Press.  And with the increased number of seniors with “opioid use disorders,” the burden on the health care system has risen to a crisis level.  While the average hospital stay following a heart attack is five days, the average stay as a result of opioid poisoning is eight.

In reaction to the continuing rise of opioid drug overdose deaths in Canada that include prescription medications such as oxycodone, fentanyl, hydrocodone and morphine, the Minister of Health signed an Interim Order to allow Naloxone Hydrochloride Nasal Spray to be available without a prescription.  The spray, known by the trademark name NARCAN, is used in emergencies of known or suspected opioid overdoses.

To learn more about opioid pain medication side effects, safety concerns and ways to minimize risk, visit Health Canada’s website by following this link.

An overdose of opioid pain medication is very serious, can slow breathing and lead to death if not treated quickly.   Many opioids are prescribed in time-release formulas and crushing or breaking these pills before taking them can lead to an overdose.  Taking more than the recommended dosage can also lead to serious health problems including liver damage, delirium, convulsions, coma or death.    Always check with your doctor or pharmacist when adding or changing any prescription or over-the-counter medication to avoid life-threatening drug interactions.