Opioids
Opioids have been making national headlines. The New York Times reported the nation’s drug overdose deaths may total approximately 64,000 for 2016 once the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) finalizes calculations. CBS news referenced a report from the independent research group, Police Executive Research Forum, which put the death toll into context by comparing it to the more than 58,000 Americans who died in the Vietnam War. The CDC currently estimates 91 people die each day from opioid overdose. President Trump declared the opioid crisis a national public health emergency on Oct. 26, 2017.
Quick Facts
What are opioids?
Painkillers — a category of narcotics that includes prescription medications and street drugs. Common opioids include (but are not limited to):
- Codeine
- Heroin
- Hydrocodone
- Hydromorphone
- Fentanyl
- Methadone
- Morphine
- Oxycodone
What’s happening locally?
- From 2008-2015, Linn County saw 218 opioid overdose deaths per Linn County Public Health.
- The Eastern Iowa Heroin Initiative reported 27 opioid deaths in Linn County in 2016.
- From October 2016 through September 2017, Mercy saw 17 drug overdoses in our Emergency Room.
What is Mercy doing to address this public health emergency?
In well-controlled dosages, pharmaceutical opioids can be helpful during end-of-life care and can make it possible for those with end-stage cancer to have a better quality of life. However, for the majority of chronic pain, and for nearly all short-term pain, the addictive nature of opioids is clearly risky. Specifically at Mercy:
- Alternatives are being explored in non-opioid pain controls like anti-inflammatory drugs and acetaminophen.
- The hospital launched an "early recovery after surgery" program that decreases the use of opioids (linked to longer hospital recovery times) in conjunction with inpatient surgical procedures.
- By administering acetaminophen before surgery and utilizing anesthesia nerve blocks, fewer opioids are involved in the patient’s hospital care, which translates to faster recovery.
- Leaders are engaged in conversations with Iowa’s Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) — a database of controlled substances that allows doctors to access opioid pharmaceutical records, which encourages safer medication prescribing.
- The hospital and clinics follow CDC guidelines for opioid prescription.
- Physician administrators put controls in place to help our healthcare providers verify the very best dosage per case — an important step that confirms the most appropriate amount to adequately address a specific healthcare need. This reduces the likelihood of patients having leftover pills that tend to be forgotten in medicine cabinets.
What can patients do?
Any time patients opt for a small opioid prescription, whether for dental work, a broken bone or surgical recovery, proper disposal of any leftover prescription is critical.
- Prescriptions that fall into the wrong hands contribute to drug addiction and overdose.
- Make sure pill bottles are secure and only accessible to the person who was prescribed the medication.
- Young adults, and teens in particular, can easily become addicted to prescription painkillers they find in medicine cabinets.
- Per the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 68 percent say the medication came from a friend or relative.
- Clear medicine cabinets of leftover prescription painkillers.
- Unused medications can be safely and anonymously dropped into secure kiosks any time at several locations throughout the Corridor, including both the Linn and Johnson County Sherriff Offices (see links below for more drop-off locations).
What local support outlets are available?
For additional information:
