Potent prescription pain relievers are killing women at an unprecedented rate. That is the conclusion from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The study found that narcotic pain relievers killed five times more women in 2010 than a decade earlier. Medications like oxycodone and hydrocodone, sold under the brand names Oxycontin and Vicodin respectively, have become extremely popular. They are among the most widely prescribed drugs in America today.
Although such drugs can be invaluable for treating postoperative pain, cancer pain or even chronic conditions that cause intractable pain, the risks are real. Even unintentional overdoses can result in medical emergencies or driving disasters. Women between 25 and 54 are at greatest risk of misuse or abuse, and women at the top of that age range, from 45 to 54, are most likely to die from an overdose.
Men are not immune. They are even more likely than women to die from opioid overdose. The problem is compounded when pain relievers are added to anti-anxiety medication, sleeping pills or antidepressants.
