Deepening Opioid Problem Seen from Emergency Department Data

Recent emergency department (ED) data show that suspected opioid overdoses are on the increase in the U.S., a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) Vital Signs report finds. The report was based on “the timeliest data available” to the CDC on ED visits for overdoses in 45 states.

Overall, the increase was roughly 30% from the third quarter of 2016 to the third quarter of 2017. All regions of the country were affected, with suspected opioid overdoses in the Midwest increasing some 70% during the surveillance interval.

At a press conference, Dr. Anne Schuchat, the CDC's acting director, characterized the findings as “a wake-up call.”