Vol. 26 No. 4
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May 2016
THE ‘SILENT EPIDEMIC’ of opioid dependence and abuse Towson University, about 11 percent of those visits were associated with opiates. Of these, 53 percent of eople have always strived to live patients were 65 to 74, and 47 percent longer, and increasingly, we are were 75 or older. extending our life span. But living But to put things into perspective, longer comes with a price. younger people account for far more “As they grow older, people emergency visits than their elders. experience more chronic conditions, According to estimates by the Centers for example, arthritis, knee joint for Disease Control based on data issues, cancer and other things that from about 220 hospitals nationwide, cause a great deal of pain,” says Alan the number of ER visits for nonmediHenley, manager of Centura Health Pharmacy at Penrose Hospital. “We’re cal use of opioids increased 111 going to have more incidences of pain percent from 2004 (144,600 visits) and more need for pain control among through 2008 (305,900 visits). The highest numbers of visits the elderly population.” were related to oxycodone, hydrocoOpioid drugs are very effective for done and metharelieving pain, but done, and the peak they too come rates for visits were with a price. In the for people ages 21 past decade, to 24 and 24 to 29. We’re going to have more studies have In 2006, the peak documented a rise incidences of pain and more rate for fatal in opioid need for pain control among overdoses dependence and involving opioids the elderly population. abuse, leading was in the some to - Alan Henley 35-to-54 age characterize Centura Health group. opioid depenPharmacy manager Dr. Nicholas dence as a “silent Piantanida, a epidemic.” physician with A study Centura Health presented in Primary Care November 2015 at the Gerontological Broadmoor and medical director for Society of America’s annual meeting the South State Region of Centura showed a 78 percent increase in the Health, says opioid misuse is a number of emergency room visits by national epidemic that affects all older adults related to misuse of walks of life. prescription and illegal drugs between Although the above statistics 2006 and 2012. show increases, when it comes to older people, “we’re looking at a very According to that study from
By Jeanne Davant
P
small group,” he says. Statistics on the incidence of senior opioid dependence in the Pikes Peak region are hard to come by. Dr. Piantanida estimates “it might be less than 1 percent” of the population. “I would characterize it as a concern regionally where low socioeconomic status and diminished economies of scale are hitting some areas,” he says. In an isolated mining community like Cripple Creek, “we might see a higher incidence of heroin.”
Proper use of opioid drugs
Prescription opioid drugs include hydrocodone (Vicodin), oxycodone (OcyContin and Percocet), hydromorphone (Dilaudid), morphine (Kadian and Avinza), fentanyl (Sublimaze,
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Actiq and others) and codeine. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, hydrocodone products are the most commonly prescribed opioids for conditions like dental and injury-related pain. These drugs are very powerful; Fentanyl, for example, is many times stronger than morphine or heroin. They are classified as Schedule II narcotics—a group of drugs that have a high potential for abuse. Opioids affect older people differently than younger people. They can cause significant side effects that can bring on other problems. Opioids can slow the transit of stool, causing chronic constipation—a condition seniors already are prone
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