A New Wave of the Overdose Epidemic arises during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Authors

Tolga Suvar MD, Rush UniversityFollow
Asokumar Buvanendran MDFollow
Stephen Music DO, Rush UniversityFollow
Wilson M. Compton MD, MPE, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Bethesda, Maryland, USAFollow

Author Credentials

Tolga Suvar MD*, Asokumar Buvanendran MD*, Stephen Music, DO^*

*Department of Anesthesiology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL

Wilson M. Compton MD, MPE^&

^& National Institute on Drug Abuse, Bethesda, Maryland, USA

Abstract

Abstract

Objective:

The goal of this manuscript is to highlight the notoriety of the overdose epidemic which has been masked by the Coronavirus pandemic.

Methods:

A thorough literature review of PubMed and the latest statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was performed for the most relevant and updated data regarding overdose deaths.

Conclusion:

The global health crisis known as the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic collided with the opioid epidemic in March of 2020, with devastating consequences for the United States. By overwhelming the healthcare system, the pandemic impacted patients who require continued mental health services, treatment of chronic pain, and management of ongoing substance use disorder (SUD). Elective surgeries and in-person visits came to a halt, while society-wide priorities were diverted to the mitigation of the spread of COVID-19. Limitations in resources, increased social isolation, decreased access to care, and changes in the distribution of illicit fentanyl contributed to a “new wave” of the overdose opioid crisis. While the addiction crisis may have worsened the pandemic in some ways, undoubtedly, the COVID pandemic has fueled the overdose crisis. In 2020 and 2021, respectively, 91,799 and 106,699 people died from drug overdose deaths, substantial increases over the previous years

Keywords

COVID-19 Pandemic, opioid epidemic, chronic pain, substance use disorder

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License

Recommended Citation

Suvar T, Buvanendran A, Music S, Compton WM. A New Wave of the Overdose Epidemic arises during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Advances in Clinical Medical Research and Healthcare Delivery. 2023; 3(1). doi: 10.53785/2769-2779.1127.

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