Prescription opioid use among people with opioid dependence and concurrent benzodiazepine and gabapentinoid exposure: An analysis of overdose and all-cause mortality

Original research
by
Bharat, Chrianna et al

Release Date

2023

Geography

Australia

Language of Resource

English

Full Text Available

Yes

Open Access / OK to Reproduce

Yes

Peer Reviewed

Yes

Objective

This study investigates mortality risk associated with use of opioid analgesics, benzodiazepines, gabapentinoids, and opioid agonist treatment (OAT) among people with opioid dependence (PWOD).

Findings/Key points

Compared with no use, all medicines of interest were associated with increased accidental opioid overdose risk; hazard ratios (HR) ranged from 1.33 for opioid analgesic use to 6.10 for opioid analgesic, benzodiazepine and gabapentinoid use. Benzodiazepine use was associated with increased non-drug-induced accidents and non-drug-induced suicides. For all-cause mortality, all combinations of benzodiazepines and gabapentinoids with opioid analgesics were associated with increased risk. For most medicines/medicine combinations, all-cause mortality risk was reduced when in OAT compared to out of OAT. Higher opioid analgesic doses were associated with increased all-cause mortality.

Design/methods

Cohort of 37,994 PWOD initiating opioid analgesics between July 2003 and July 2018 in New South Wales, Australia.

Keywords

Mortality
Substitution/OAT
About PWUD