Prescription Opioid Pain Reliever and Other Drug Overdoses Among Women — United States, 1999–2010

Background: In 2013, CDC called attention to the dramatic rise in prescription opioid pain reliever (OPR) overdose deaths among women. These analyses extend that work by examining drug overdose deaths among women in more detail.

Methods:  Fatal overdoses among women were analyzed using the National Vital Statistics System multiple cause of death files (1999–2010). Drug poisoning (overdose) deaths were classified using the International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision (ICD-10) underlying cause of death external cause of injury codes (X40-X44, X60-X64, X85, or Y10-Y14). Analyses include deaths of any intent for US residents. Type of drug was based on ICD-10 codes for OPR (T40.2-T40.4), benzodiazepines (T42.4), antidepressants (T43.0-T43.2), heroin (T40.1), and cocaine (T40.5).

Results: There was a 415% increase in number of OPR-related deaths among women between 1999-2010. In each year, over half of OPR-related deaths did not involve other drugs such as benzodiazepines, antidepressants, cocaine, or heroin.  The number of OPR deaths that also included a benzodiazepine increased over 900% between 1999-2010; the number of OPR deaths that also included an antidepressant increased 390%.  Heroin-related overdose deaths not involving antidepressants, benzodiazepines, cocaine, or OPR remained relatively low (341 deaths in 2010) but increased 143%; cocaine-related deaths not involving benzodiazepines, antidepressants, heroin, or OPR increased 3% (597 deaths in 2010).

Conclusions: Results detail changing nature of overdoses among women. Understanding these changes, such as rising involvement of psychotherapeutic drugs, provides insight for prevention. Providers who treat women for pain should follow prescribing guidelines and screen for use of psychotherapeutic drugs.