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The Opioid Crisis: a Comprehensive Overview

  • Other Pain (A Kaye and N Vadivelu, Section Editors)
  • Published:
Current Pain and Headache Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

The opioid crisis most likely is the most profound public health crisis our nation has faced. In 2015 alone, 52,000 people died of drug overdoses, with over 30,000 of those people dying from opioid drugs. A recent community forum led by the Cleveland Clinic contrasted this yearly death rate with the loss of 58,000 American lives in 4 years of the Vietnam War. The present review describes the origins of this opioid epidemic and provides context for our present circumstances.

Recent Findings

Alarmingly, the overwhelming majority of opioid abusers begin their addiction with prescription medications, primarily for chronic pain. Chronic postoperative pain, which occurs in 10–50% of surgical patients, is a major concern in many types of surgery. Nationwide, the medical community has made it a priority to ensure that postsurgical analgesia is sufficient to control pain without increasing non-medically appropriate opioid use.

Summary

The opioid epidemic remains a significant pressing issue and will not resolve easily. Numerous factors, including the inappropriate prescription of opioids, lack of understanding of the potential adverse effects of long-term therapy, opioid misuse, abuse, and dependence, have contributed to the current crisis.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anesthesiology, Yale University, TMP3 333, Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA

    Nalini Vadivelu & Julie Sramcik

  2. Department of Internal Medicine, NYU Winthrop Hospital, 259 First Street, Mineola, NY, 11501, USA

    Alice M. Kai

  3. Medical Student, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, 263 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, CT, 06030-1905, USA

    Vijay Kodumudi

  4. Department of Anesthesiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, 1542 Tulane Ave, Suite 656, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA

    Alan D. Kaye

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  1. Nalini Vadivelu
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Correspondence to Nalini Vadivelu.

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Conflict of Interest

Nalini Vadivelu, Alice M. Kai, Vijay Kodumudi, and Julie Sramcik declare no conflict of interest. Dr. Kaye is a speaker for Depomed, Inc., and Merck, Inc.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Other Pain

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Vadivelu, N., Kai, A.M., Kodumudi, V. et al. The Opioid Crisis: a Comprehensive Overview. Curr Pain Headache Rep 22, 16 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-018-0670-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-018-0670-z

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