QuickStats: Number of Poisoning Deaths* Involving Opioid Analgesics and Other Drugs or Substances --- United States, 1999--2007

* Poisoning deaths include those resulting from drug overdose, those resulting from other misuse of drugs, and those associated with solid or liquid biologics, gases or vapors, or other substances. Poisoning deaths are from all manners, including unintentional, suicide, homicide, undetermined intent, legal intervention, and operations of war. Among deaths with poisoning as the underlying cause, the following International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes were used to indicate whether drugs were involved and the type of drug involved in poisoning deaths: any opioid analgesic (any of the codes T40.2--T40.4); nonspecified drug (T50.9 only); specified drug other than opioid analgesic (any of the codes T36--T50.8 other than T40.2--T40.4); or other substances (none of the codes T36--T50.9).

† Poisoning deaths associated with only solid or liquid biologics, gases or vapors, or other substances, and exclusive of drug involvement.

From 1999 to 2007, the number of U.S. poisoning deaths involving any opioid analgesic (e.g., oxycodone, methadone, or hydrocodone) more than tripled, from 4,041 to 14,459, or 36% of the 40,059 total poisoning deaths in 2007. In 1999, opioid analgesics were involved in 20% of the 19,741 poisoning deaths. During 1999--2007, the number of poisoning deaths involving specified drugs other than opioid analgesics increased from 9,262 to 12,790, and the number involving nonspecified drugs increased from 3,608 to 8,947.

Sources: National Vital Statistics System mortality data. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/deaths.htm.

Warner M, Chen LH, Makuc DM. Increase in fatal poisonings involving opioid analgesics in the United States, 1999--2006. NCHS data brief, no 22. Hyattsville, MD: US Department of Health and Human Services, CDC, National Center for Health Statistics; 2009. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db22.htm.

Alternate Text: The figure above shows the number of poisoning deaths involving opioid analgesics and other drugs or substances in the United States during 1999–2007. From 1999 to 2007, the number of U.S. poisoning deaths involving any opioid analgesic (e.g., oxycodone, methadone, or hydro-codone) more than tripled, from 4,041 to 14,459, or 36% of the 40,059 total poisoning deaths in 2007. In 1999, opioid analgesics were involved in 20% of the 19,741 poisoning deaths. During 1999–2007, the number of poisoning deaths involving specified drugs other than opioid analgesics increased from 9,262 to 12,790, and the number involving nonspecified drugs increased from 3,608 to 8,947.