Overdose mortality from suicides and accidental overdoses among people age 65 and older quadrupled from 2002-2021

A majority of the unintended fatalities involved fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamines. Prescription opioids, antidepressants, benzodiazepines, antiepileptics and sedatives were used in 2/3 of intentional overdoses.

Christopher M. Jones, Carla Shoff, Carlos Blanco, Jan L. Losby, Shari M. Ling, Wilson M. Compton. Association of Receipt of Opioid Use Disorder–Related Telehealth Services and Medications for Opioid Use Disorder With Fatal Drug Overdoses Among Medicare Beneficiaries Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic. JAMA Psychiatry, 2023; DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2023.0310

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