BMJ: Be alert to the risk of drug overdoses and suicides in patients caused by opioid suspension.

Researchers recently examined the relationship between opioid treatment and drug use or suicide deaths through the Veterans Health Management Database.
study analyzed data on 139,4102 patients included by the Veterans Health Administration between October 1, 2012 and September 30, 2014, analyzing outpatient opioid prescriptions through multivariable Cox The non-proportional risk regression model examined deaths from opioid overdoses or suicides, the relationship between treatment time (less than 30 days, 31-90 days, 91-400 days, and greater than 400 days), drug suspension and adverse outcomes.
found that 2,887 people died from drug overdoses or suicides.
Overall, the stopping rate for opioid treatment was 57.4% (n-799668), 32.0% (within 30 days), 8.7% (31-90 days), 22.7% (91-400 days) and 36.6% (400 days or more) in terms of opioid treatment time.
The interaction between opioid discontinuation and treatment time is significant (P.lt;0.001), but discontinuation of treatment can lead to an increased risk of drug overdose or suicide death, and the longer the duration of treatment, the greater the risk.
the risk ratio for stopping the drug was 1.67 (-30 days), 2.80 (31-90 days), 3.95 (91-400 days) and 6.77 days, respectively, depending on the duration of the drug use.
data show that overdose or suicide mortality increases immediately after the start or cessation of opioids, and the risk decreases gradually after 3-12 months.
study found that after stopping opioid treatment, patients were at increased risk of dying from overdoses or suicides, and the longer they stopped treatment, the higher the risk.
patients need special attention in the first 3 months of starting or discontinuing opioid treatment.
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