General Pain Management

Many Veterans Who Died from Opioid Overdoses Had Also Received Benzos

Hydrocodone painkillers face increased federal restriction
Hydrocodone painkillers face increased federal restriction
Patient records of veterans who died from drug overdoses while receiving medical services as an outpatient at the Veterans Health Administration between October 2004 and September 2009 were examined.

In a recent study, nearly half of all veterans who died from drug overdoses while prescribed opioids for pain were also receiving benzodiazepines, or benzos, which are common medications for the treatment of anxiety, insomnia and alcohol withdrawal. 

Veterans prescribed higher doses of benzodiazepines while concurrently receiving opioids were at greater risk of overdose death than those on lower doses of benzodiazepines.

READ FULL ARTICLE Curated publisher From News Medical

  • Latest News Your top articles for Wednesday

  • Haymarket Medical NetworkTop Picks

  • Loading...

    Continuing Medical Education (CME/CE) Courses

    Show More