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DALLAS, March 8, 2021 Out-of-hospital cardiac arrests triggered by opioid overdose are a significant cause of death among adults 25 to 64, according to a scientific statement from the American Heart Association, the nation s largest voluntary health organization focused on heart and brain health for all. The statement published today in the Association s flagship journal
Circulation.
In the U.S., opioid use disorder affects an estimated 2 million people each year and costs more than $78 billion in health care expenses. The opioid epidemic, which spans more than three decades, accounted for approximately 128 deaths a day in 2018, mostly among adults ages 25 to 55. And, more than 15% of the opioid overdose emergency medical service cases in 2016 included cardiac arrest.