Recently declared a nationwide public health emergency, the misuse and abuse of opioids in the United States takes the lives of more than 90 Americans every day.1The most recent report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recounted more than 65,000 deaths from drug overdose over a 12-month period—a record high.2More alarming, however, is that drug overdose deaths have increased every year since 1999, mirroring a similar trend in increased opioid sales.3, 4In fact, both the amount of prescription opioids sold and overdose deaths involving opioids have more than quadrupled since 1999.4As one of the most commonly prescribed medications to the 100 million patients experiencing chronic pain in the United States annually, opioids are integral to many pain management practices.5
