Dynamic changes in prescription opioids from 2006 to 2017 in Texas

PeerJ

article

Ebuwa O. Ighodaro¹  Kenneth L. McCall²  Daniel Y. Chung¹  Stephanie D. Nichols²  Brian J. Piper¹ 

[1]Department of Medical Education, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine

[2]Department of Pharmacy Practice, University of New England

[3]Department of Psychiatry, Tufts University

[4]Center for Pharmacy Innovation and Outcomes

关键词: Pain;    Addiction;    Epidemiology;    Drug;    Policy;    Buprenorphine;    Codeine;    Fentanyl;    Hydrocodone;    Opiate substitution treatment;   

DOI  :  10.7717/peerj.8108

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: Inra

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundThe US is experiencing an epidemic of opioid overdoses which may be at least partially due to an over-reliance on opioid analgesics in the treatment of chronic non-cancer pain and subsequent escalation to heroin or illicit fentanyl. As Texas was reported to be among the lowest in the US for opioid use and misuse, further examination of this state is warranted.Materials and MethodsThis study was conducted to quantify prescription opioid use in Texas. Data was obtained from the publicly available US Drug Enforcement Administration’s Automation of Reports and Consolidated Orders System (ARCOS) which monitors controlled substances transactions from manufacture to commercial distribution. Data for 2006–2017 from Texas for ten prescription opioids including eight primarily used to relieve pain (codeine, fentanyl, hydrocodone, hydromorphone, meperidine, morphine, oxycodone, oxymorphone) and two (buprenorphine and methadone) for the treatment of an Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) were examined.ResultsThe change in morphine mg equivalent (MME) of all opioids (+23.3%) was only slightly greater than the state’s population gains (21.1%). Opioids used to treat an OUD showed pronounced gains (+90.8%) which were four-fold faster than population growth. Analysis of individual agents revealed pronounced elevations in codeine (+387.5%), hydromorphone (+106.7%), and oxycodone (+43.6%) and a reduction in meperidine (−80.3%) in 2017 relative to 2006. Methadone in 2017 accounted for a greater portion (39.5%) of the total MME than hydrocodone, oxycodone, morphine, hydromorphone, oxymorphone, and meperidine, combined. There were differences between urban and rural areas in the changes in hydrocodone and buprenorphine.ConclusionsCollectively, these findings indicate that continued vigilance is needed in Texas to appropriately treat pain and an OUD while minimizing the potential for prescription opioid diversion and misuse. Texas may lead the US in a return to pre-opioid epidemic prescription levels.

【 授权许可】

CC BY