April 1, 2024

The rate of fatal overdoses among people with opioid use disorder (OUD) was not reduced by receipt of traditional addiction treatment that relies on detoxification and long-term rehabilitation services. The relative risk of fatal overdose following either of these treatments in the six months prior to death was about 27% higher than for those who received no treatment. However, treatment with partial agonist opioid treatment or full agonist opioid treatment reduced the relative risk of a fatal opioid overdose by 34% and 38%, respectively 

The incidence rate for opioid poisoning among those treated with a full agonist opioid treatment were 6.06 per 1,000, compared to 17.36 per 1,000 for those exposed to any non-medication treatment for OUD. Among those with OUD who were not exposed to any treatment within six months before they died, the opioid poisoning rate was 9.80 per 1,000. 

These findings were reported in “Receipt Of Opioid Use Disorder Treatments Prior To Fatal Overdoses And Comparison To No Treatment In Connecticut, 2016–17” by Robert Heimer, Anne C. Black, Hsiuju Lin, and colleagues. The researchers analyzed state data on 965 accidental and undetermined opioid overdose deaths in 2017 and exposures to OUD treatment in the prior six months. The goal was to determine overdose incidence rates following exposure to different OUD treatment modalities. 

Of the 965 deaths, 254 of the individuals (26%) had exposure to some form of OUD treatment. Of the 254 individuals, 27% were exposed to full agonist opioid treatment, and 28% were exposed to partial agonist opioid treatment. Another 28% were exposed to short-term non-MOUD treatment, and 10% were exposed to longer-term non-MOUD treatments. 

The full text of “Receipt Of Opioid Use Disorder Treatments Prior To Fatal Overdoses And Comparison To No Treatment In Connecticut, 2016–17” was published January 1, 2024, by Drug and Alcohol Dependence.