350 Opioid Use and Abuse are Associated with Use of Sedative Hypnotic Medications

SLEEP ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 44 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. A140-A140
Author(s):  
Andrew Tubbs ◽  
Michelle Naps ◽  
Michael Grandner ◽  
Louis Rivera
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Sleep Disturbance ◽  
Race Model ◽  
Prescription Opioid ◽  
Opioid Overdose ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Hypnotic Medication ◽  
Benzodiazepine Use ◽  
Illness Category ◽  
Opioid Users

Abstract Introduction The Department of Health and Human Services recently reported that 10.3 million people misused opioid drugs in 2018. Recent research attributed 21% of the deaths from opioid overdose to benzodiazepines. The overdose data and clinical experience show that opioid misusers commonly complain of insomnia and use hypnotic medications to self-medicate their sleep disturbance. At the same time, it remains unclear from a scientific perspective whether those who use/abuse opioids are more likely to use drugs in the sedative-hypnotic medication category. Consequently, the present study explores the relationship between comorbid use of opioids and sedative-hypnotic medications. Methods We extracted data from the 2015–2018 waves of the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (N=171,766). The primary outcome was the use of sedative-hypnotic medications, either in the z-class (zaleplon, zolpidem, eszopiclone) or sedating benzodiazepines (temazepam, flurazepam, triazolam). The primary exposures were prescription use of an opioid or abuse of an opioid (i.e., use of an illegal opioid such as heroin or misuse of a prescription opioid). Covariates included age, sex, race, income, education, and predicted mental illness category (none, mild, moderate, severe). Exposures were balanced on covariates using inverse probability of treatment weighting. Sequential binomial logistic regression estimated the association between opioid use/abuse and sedative-hypnotic use after adjusting for covariates. Results Opioid use and abuse varied by age, sex, race, education, and income (all p < 0.001). When adjusted for age, sex, and race (Model 1), sedative benzodiazepine use was more common among opioid users (OR 4.4 [4.04–4.79] and opioid abusers (OR 11.9 [9.72–14.5]). The use of z-class drugs was also more prevalent in opioid users (OR 3.69 [3.48–3.89]) and abusers (OR 7.74 [6.97–8.60]). Further adjusting for income and education (Model 2) and mental illness category (Model 3) attenuated but did not eliminate these associations. Conclusion Individuals who use or abuse opioids are significantly more likely to receive a sedative-hypnotic medication, a finding that is of concern and one that also suggests that sleep disturbance is common in this population. Further research is needed to determine the underlying nature and prevalence of sleep continuity disturbances in this population. Support (if any) VA grant IK2CX000855 and I01 CX001957 (S.C.).

scholarly journals Evaluation of a Medicaid performance improvement project to reduce high-dose opioid prescriptions

2022 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel M. Hartung ◽  
Jonah Geddes ◽  
Sara E. Hallvik ◽  
P. Todd Korthuis ◽  
Luke Middleton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Performance Improvement ◽  
Emergency Department Visits ◽  
Prescription Opioid ◽  
High Dose ◽  
Opioid Overdose ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Improvement Project ◽  
Opioid Prescribing ◽  
Percentage Points ◽  
Prescription Opioid Use

Abstract Background In 2015, Oregon’s Medicaid program implemented a performance improvement project to reduce high-dose opioid prescribing across its 16 coordinated care organizations (CCOs). The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of that program on prescription opioid use and outcomes. Methods Using Medicaid claims data from 2014 to 2017, we conducted interrupted time-series analyses to examine changes in the prescription opioid use and overdose rates before (July 2014 to June 2015) and after (January 2016 to December 2017) implementation of Oregon’s high-dose policy initiative (July 2015 to December 2015). Prescribing outcomes were: 1) total opioid prescriptions 2) high-dose [> 90 morphine milligram equivalents per day] opioid prescriptions, and 3) proportion of opioid prescriptions that were high-dose. Opioid overdose outcomes included emergency department visits or hospitalizations that involved an opioid-related poisoning (total, heroin-involved, non-heroin involved). Analyses were performed at the state and CCO level. Results There was an immediate reduction in high dose opioid prescriptions after the program was implemented (− 1.55 prescription per 1000 enrollee; 95% CI − 2.26 to − 0.84; p < 0.01). Program implementation was also associated with an immediate drop (− 1.29 percentage points; 95% CI − 1.94 to − 0.64 percentage points; p < 0.01) and trend reduction (− 0.23 percentage point per month; 95% CI − 0.33 to − 0.14 percentage points; p < 0.01) in the monthly proportion of high-dose opioid prescriptions. The trend in total, heroin-involved, and non-heroin overdose rates increased significantly following implementation of the program. Conclusions Although Oregon’s high-dose opioid performance improvement project was associated with declines in high-dose opioid prescriptions, rates of opioid overdose did not decrease. Policy efforts to reduce opioid prescribing risks may not be sufficient to address the growing opioid crisis.

scholarly journals Exploring the latent trait of opioid use disorder criteria among frequent nonmedical prescription opioid users

2016 ◽  
Vol 80 ◽  
pp. 79-86 ◽  
Author(s):  
João Mauricio Castaldelli-Maia ◽  
Laura H. Andrade ◽  
Katherine M. Keyes ◽  
Magdalena Cerdá ◽  
Daniel J. Pilowsky ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Latent Trait ◽  
Opioid Use Disorder ◽  
Prescription Opioid ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Opioid Users

Fentanyl analogue overdose: Key lessons in management in the synthetic opioid age

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (5) ◽  
pp. 428-432
Author(s):  
Amer Raheemullah, MD ◽  
Neal Andruska, MD, PhD
Keyword(s):  
Addiction Treatment ◽  
Opioid Use Disorder ◽  
Prescription Opioid ◽  
Opioid Overdose ◽  
Health Departments ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Public Health Departments ◽  
Disorder Treatment ◽  
Fentanyl Analogues ◽  
Overdose Deaths

Fentanyl overdoses are growing at an alarming rate. Fentanyl is often mixed into heroin and counterfeit prescription opioid pills without the customer’s knowledge and only detected upon laboratory analysis. This is problematic because fentanyl analogues like carfentanil are 10,000 times more potent than morphine and pose new challenges to opioid overdose management. A 62-year-old male with an overdose from a rare fentanyl analogue, acrylfentanyl, was given two doses of intranasal 2 mg naloxone with improvements in respiratory rate. In lieu of more naloxone, his trachea was intubated and he was admitted to the intensive care unit. He subsequently developed ventilator-associated pneumonia and then a pulmonary embolism. He did not receive any opioid use disorder treatment and returned back to the emergency department with an opioid overdose 21 days after discharge.We are encountering an unprecedented rise in synthetic opioid overdose deaths as we enter the third decade of the opioid epidemic. Thus, it is imperative to be aware of the features and management of overdoses from fentanyl and its analogues. This includes protecting against occupational exposure, administering adequate doses of naloxone, and working with public health departments to respond to fentanyl outbreaks. Additionally, fentanyl overdoses represent a critical opportunity to move beyond acute stabilization, start buprenorphine or methadone for opioid use disorder during hospitalization, link patients to ongoing addiction treatment, and distribute naloxone into the community to help curb the overdose epidemic.

scholarly journals Factors Associated with Prescription Opioid Analgesic Use in the US Population, 2011–2014

Pain Medicine ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (7) ◽  
pp. 1338-1346 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven M Frenk ◽  
Susan L Lukacs ◽  
Qiuping Gu
Keyword(s):  
Opioid Analgesic ◽  
Opioid Analgesics ◽  
Opioid Use Disorder ◽  
Prescription Opioid ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Us ◽  
Opioid Users ◽  
Analgesic Use

Abstract Objective This study examined factors associated with prescription opioid analgesic use in the US population using data from a nationally representative sample. It focused on factors previously shown to be associated with opioid use disorder or overdose. Variations in the use of different strength opioid analgesics by demographic subgroup were also examined. Methods Data came from respondents aged 16 years and older who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2011–2014). Respondents were classified as opioid users if they reported using one or more prescription opioid analgesics in the past 30 days. Results Opioid users reported poorer self-perceived health than those not currently using opioids. Compared with those not using opioids, opioid users were more likely to rate their health as being “fair” or “poor” (40.4% [95% confidence interval {CI} = 34.9%–46.2%] compared with 15.6% [95% CI = 14.3%–17.1%]), experienced more days of pain during the past 30 days (mean = 14.3 [95% CI = 12.9–15.8] days compared with 2.3 [95% CI = 2.0–2.7] days), and had depression (22.5% [95% CI = 17.3%–28.7%] compared with 7.1% [95% CI = 6.2%–8.0%]). Among those who reported using opioids during the past 30 days, 18.8% (95% CI = 14.4%–24.1%) reported using benzodiazepine medication during the same period and 5.2% (95% CI = 3.5%–7.7%) reported using an illicit drug during the past six months. When opioid strength was examined, a smaller percentage of adults aged 60 years and older used stronger-than-morphine opioids compared with adults aged 20–39 and 40–59 years. Conclusions Higher percentages of current opioid users than nonusers reported having many of the factors associated with opioid use disorder and overdose.

scholarly journals If We Build It, Will They Come? Perspectives on Pharmacy-Based Naloxone Among Family and Friends of People who use Opioids: A Mixed Methods Study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susannah Slocum ◽  
Jenny E. Ozga ◽  
Alexander Y. Walley ◽  
Robin A. Pollini ◽  
Rebecca Joyce
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Drug Use ◽  
Support Groups ◽  
Perceived Risk ◽  
The United States ◽  
Opioid Antagonist ◽  
Prescription Opioid ◽  
Opioid Overdose ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background: Expanding access to the opioid antagonist naloxone to reduce overdose mortality is a public health priority in the United States. Naloxone standing orders (NSOs) have been established in many states to increase naloxone dispensing at pharmacies, but increased pharmacy access does not ensure optimal uptake among those likely to witness an overdose. In a prior statewide purchase trial, we documented high levels of naloxone access at Massachusetts pharmacies under a statewide NSO. In this study, we characterize barriers to pharmacy-based naloxone uptake among potential opioid overdose “bystanders” (friends or family of people who use opioids) that may be amenable to intervention.Methods: Eligible bystanders were Massachusetts residents >18 years of age, did not use illicit opioids in the past 30 days, and knew someone who currently uses illicit opioids. We used a sequential mixed methods approach, in which a series of semi-structured qualitative interviews (N=22) were conducted to inform the development of a subsequent quantitative survey (N=260). Results: Most survey participants (77%) reported ever obtaining naloxone but few (21%) attempted to purchase it at a pharmacy. Qualitative participants revealed that barriers to utilizing the NSO included low perceived risk of overdose, which was rooted in misconceptions regarding the risks of prescription opioid misuse, denial about their loved one’s drug use, and drug use stereotypes; inaccurate beliefs about the impact of naloxone on riskier opioid use; and concerns regarding anticipated stigma and confidentiality. Many participants had engaged in mutual support groups, which served as a source of free naloxone for half (50%) of those who had ever obtained naloxone.Conclusions: Despite high levels of pharmacy naloxone access in Massachusetts, few bystanders in our study had attempted to obtain naloxone under the NSO. Low perceived risk of overdose, misinformation, stigma and confidentiality were important barriers to pharmacy naloxone uptake, all of which are amenable to intervention. Support groups provided a setting for addressing stigma and misinformation and provided a discreet and comfortable setting for naloxone access. Where these groups do not exist and for bystanders who do not participate in such groups, pharmacies are well-positioned to fill gaps in naloxone availability.

scholarly journals A Preliminary Investigation of the Underlying Mechanism Associating Daily Sleep Continuity Disturbance and Prescription Opioid Use Among Individuals With Sickle Cell Disease

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chung Jung Mun ◽  
Patrick H Finan ◽  
Michael T Smith ◽  
C Patrick Carroll ◽  
Joshua M Smyth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sleep Disturbance ◽  
Pain Catastrophizing ◽  
Preliminary Investigation ◽  
Pain Severity ◽  
Prescription Opioid ◽  
Cell Disease ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Previous Night ◽  
Sleep Continuity ◽  
Prescription Opioid Use

Abstract Background There are emerging data indicating that sleep disturbance may be linked with an increase in opioid use. The majority of sickle cell disease (SCD) patients experience sleep disturbances, which can elevate pain severity and pain catastrophizing, both of which are important predictors of opioid consumption. Purpose We conducted a preliminary investigation on the association between previous night sleep disturbance and short-acting opioid use, as well as the potential mediating roles of pain severity and pain catastrophizing. Because sex is associated with sleep disturbance, pain-related experiences, and opioid use, we also explored the potential moderating role of sex. Methods Participants were 45 SCD patients who were prescribed opioids. For 3 months, sleep diaries were collected immediately upon participants’ awakening. Daily pain severity, pain catastrophizing, and prescription opioid use measures were collected before bedtime. Results Multilevel structural equation modeling revealed that wake time after sleep onset (WASO) during the previous night (Time 1) predicted greater short-acting opioid use during the next day (Time 2). Pain severity and pain catastrophizing measured during the next day (Time 2) also mediated the association between the two. Sex moderation analysis showed that the positive association between WASO and pain severity was largely driven by women. Conclusion These findings provide some preliminary evidence as to the mechanism linking sleep continuity disturbance and opioid requirement in SCD patients. Future studies should replicate and extend these findings with clearer temporal information and employing more refined measures of sleep continuity and prescription opioid use in a larger sample.

Defining Risk of Prescription Opioid Overdose: Pharmacy Shopping and Overlapping Prescriptions Among Long-Term Opioid Users in Medicaid

2015 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. 445-453 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhuo Yang ◽  
Barth Wilsey ◽  
Michele Bohm ◽  
Meghan Weyrich ◽  
Kakoli Roy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prescription Opioid ◽  
Opioid Overdose ◽  
Opioid Users

scholarly journals Association between initial opioid prescription diagnosis type and subsequent chronic prescription opioid use in Rhode Island: a population-based cohort study

BMJ Open ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. e050540
Author(s):  
Benjamin D Hallowell ◽  
Laura C Chambers ◽  
Luke Barre ◽  
Nancy Diao ◽  
Collette Onyejekwe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cohort Study ◽  
Rhode Island ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Primary Outcome Measure ◽  
Prescription Opioid ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Opioid Prescription ◽  
Management Approaches ◽  
Opioid Users ◽  
Prescription Opioid Use

ObjectiveTo identify initial diagnoses associated with elevated risk of chronic prescription opioid use.DesignPopulation-based, retrospective cohort study.SettingState of Rhode Island.ParticipantsRhode Island residents with an initial opioid prescription dispensed between 1 April 2019 and 31 March 2020.Primary outcome measureSubsequent chronic prescription opioid use, defined as receiving 60 or more days’ supply of opioids in the 90 days following an initial opioid prescription.ResultsAmong the 87 055 patients with an initial opioid prescription, 3199 (3.7%) subsequently became chronic users. Patients who become chronic users tended to receive a longer days’ supply, greater quantity dispensed, but a lower morphine milligram equivalents on the initial opioid prescription. Patients prescribed an initial opioid prescription for diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (adjusted OR (aOR): 5.9, 95% CI: 4.7 to 7.6), diseases of the nervous system (aOR: 6.3, 95% CI: 4.9 to 8.0) and neoplasms (aOR: 5.6, 95% CI: 4.2 to 7.5) had higher odds of subsequent chronic prescription opioid use, compared with a referent group that included all diagnosis types with fewer than 15 chronic opioid users, after adjusting for confounders.ConclusionsBy focusing interventions and prescribing guidelines on specific types of diagnoses that carry a high risk of chronic prescription opioid use and diagnoses that would benefit equally or more from alternative management approaches, states and healthcare organisations may more efficiently decrease inappropriate opioid prescribing while improving the quality of patient care.

Prescription opioid use in the rural Appalachia: A community-based study

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer R. Havens, PhD, MPH ◽  
Robert Walker, MSW, LCSW ◽  
Carl G. Leukefeld, DSW
Keyword(s):  
Drug Use ◽  
Prescription Drug ◽  
Prescription Drugs ◽  
Pain Treatment ◽  
Prescription Opioid ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Prescription Drug Use ◽  
Nonmedical Use ◽  
Opioid Users

Objective: The purpose of this study is to describe the sample characteristics and methods for a study of rural medical and nonmedical prescription opioid users with a history of OxyContin® use.Design and Setting: Snowball sampling was used to recruit 221 rural Appalachian residents. Participants included those under medical supervision for pain (n = 101) as well as those self-reporting nonmedical use of prescription opioids (n = 120). Participants were given an interviewer-administered questionnaire.Outcome measures: Data relating to demographics, illicit and nonmedical prescription drug use, medical, legal, family, and psychiatric status, as well as pain history were collected. The primary outcomes of interest were differences in past 30 day prescription drug use between pain patients and nonmedical opioid users.Results: A significantly greater proportion of those treated for pain reported using oxycodone and hydrocodone prescribed by a physician in the prior 30 days (p < 0.001); however, more than third of pain participants also reported nonmedical use of OxyContin®, methadone, hydrocodone, benzodiazepines, and marijuana in the prior 30 days.Conclusions: A large proportion of rural opioid users who reported being treated for pain also reported nonmedical use of prescription drugs. Similarly, among the nonmedical users, half of those reported experiencing pain that interfered with their daily life. These results suggest that many rural prescription drug users are being either incorrectly or perhaps inadequately treated for chronic nonmalignant pain. Therefore, developing educational materials and training for rural physicians about pain treatment (including drug seeking behavior) is proposed.

scholarly journals Acceptability of smartphone applications for facilitating layperson naloxone administration during opioid overdoses

JAMIA Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 44-52
Author(s):  
Gabriela Marcu ◽  
Roy Aizen ◽  
Alexis M Roth ◽  
Stephen Lankenau ◽  
David G Schwartz
Keyword(s):  
Smartphone Application ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Opioid Overdose ◽  
User Requirements ◽  
Smartphone Applications ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Community Based Organizations ◽  
Opioid Users

Abstract Objective We investigated user requirements for a smartphone application to coordinate layperson administration of naloxone during an opioid overdose. Materials and Methods We conducted interviews and focus groups with 19 nonmedical opioid users and other community members in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which has one of the highest overdose rates in the country. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results We found high levels of trust and reliance within one’s own social group, especially nonmedical opioid users and members of the neighborhood. Participants distrusted outsiders, including professional responders, whom they perceived as uncaring and prejudiced. Participants expressed some concern over malicious use of a location-based application, such as theft when a victim is unconscious, but overall felt the benefits could outweigh the risks. Participants also trusted community-based organizations providing services such as bystander training and naloxone distribution, and felt that a smartphone application should be integrated into these services. Discussion Individuals affected by opioid use and overdose reacted positively to the concept for a smartphone application, which they perceived as a useful tool that could help combat the high rate of opioid overdose fatalities in their neighborhood. A sense of unity with others who have shared their experiences could be leveraged to connect willing bystanders with victims of overdose, but risk must be mitigated for layperson responders. Conclusion Based on participant experiences with overdoses, trust-based considerations for the design of smartphone applications to facilitate layperson response will be critical for their adoption and use in real overdose situations.

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