Poisoning is now the second leading cause of unintentional injury and death in the United States. The rates of unintentional poisoning deaths have been on the rise for more than 15 years and has surpassed car crashes as the leading cause of unintentional injury and death among people between the ages of 35 and 54.
In a study published in the May issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, researchers found that hospitalizations for poisoning by prescription opioids, sedatives and tranquilizers in this country have increased 65 percent between 1999 and 2006.
"Deaths and hospitalizations associated with prescription drug misuse have reached epidemic proportions," said Jeffrey H. Coben, M.D., of the West Virginia University School of Medicine and the lead author of the study. "It is essential that health care providers, pharmacists, insurance providers, state and federal agencies, and the general public all work together to address this crisis. Prescription medications are just as powerful and dangerous as other notorious street drugs, and we need to ensure people are aware of these dangers and that treatment services are available for those with substance abuse problems."
This is the first comprehensive study of hospitalizations connected to prescription medications. Data comes from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, which has records for approximately 8 million hospital admissions every year.
