ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) — Fentanyl continues to be the primary cause of drug overdose deaths in the United States. Even a very small amount of it can cause a lethal overdose. Last year, synthetic opioids, primarily fentanyl, accounted for 60% of all overdose deaths in the United States. And for seniors, it’s becoming a bigger issue.
“The overdose crisis has continually gotten worse,” said Daniel Arendt, PharmD, associate professor of pharmacy practice and administrative sciences at University of Cincinnati.
And now deaths from fentanyl mixed with stimulants have skyrocketed among seniors, increasing by 9,000% in just eight years!
“The opioid epidemic really entered the public lexicon in the early 2010s of recognizing how much of an issue it was,” explained Dr. Arendt
Fentanyl is only available by prescription. It comes as patches to put on your skin, lozenges and tablets, nasal spray and injections that are usually given in a hospital. Seniors are at risk because they usually take several medications. Methamphetamine is one of the most common stimulants paired with fentanyl, surpassing alcohol, and benzodiazepines. A 2025 study says one reason seniors are at higher risk is they process drugs more slowly, leading to longer effects and increased overdose risk.
“And it’s still a public health epidemic,” Dr. Arendt told Ivanhoe.
Experts say what pain medicine specialists can do is recognize that polysubstance use can occur in all age groups, be cautious when prescribing opioids to people over 65, simplify medication routines and use clear labeling and safe storage instructions.
Seniors who have multiple chronic conditions are more likely to overdose. Some of the signs to look for include having pale, blue or purple lips and fingernails, slowed or stopped heartbeat or breathing, tiny pupils and they are unresponsive. Call 911 immediately.
Contributors to this news report include: Cliff Tumetel, Producer; Roque Correa, Editor.
Sources:
https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/fentanyl/about-fentanyl/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11954733/
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24583-opioid-overdose
* For More Information, Contact: Daniel Arendt, PharmD
Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice and Administrative Sciences at University of Cincinnati
Free weekly e-mail on Prescription: Health from Ivanhoe. To sign up: http://www.ivanhoe.com/ftk
