Here are three things to know:
1. For the study, researchers used a death certificate database spanning 2011-16 that contained cause-of-death and demographic information.
2. Researchers found the number of drug-related overdose deaths increased by 54 percent, from about 41,000 deaths in 2011 to about 64,000 in 2016. Drug overdose deaths involving at least one specific drug or substance increased from 73 percent in 2011 to 85 percent of deaths in 2016.
3. The 10 drugs that appeared most often on death certificates belonged to three drug classes: opioids, benzodiazepines and stimulants. Opioids included fentanyl, heroin, hydrocodone, methadone, morphine and oxycodone. Benzodiazepines included alprazolam and diazepam. Stimulants included cocaine and methamphetamine.
More articles on opioids:
Scientists use Google search to ‘predict’ heroin overdoses
Life insurers declining coverage for those who purchase naloxone
Missouri hospital physicians urged to limit opioid prescriptions
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