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. 2019 Feb;96(1):49-54.
doi: 10.1007/s11524-018-00343-z.

Increased Presence of Fentanyl in Cocaine-Involved Fatal Overdoses: Implications for Prevention

Michelle L Nolan  1 , Sindhu Shamasunder  2 , Cody Colon-Berezin  2 , Hillary V Kunins  2 , Denise Paone  2
Affiliations

Increased Presence of Fentanyl in Cocaine-Involved Fatal Overdoses: Implications for Prevention

Michelle L Nolan et al. J Urban Health. 2019 Feb.

Abstract

After remaining stable from 2010 to 2014, the rate of cocaine-involved overdose death increased sharply from 2015 to 2016. This study aims to determine the contribution of opioids, and fentanyl in particular, to the increase in cocaine-involved overdose death from 2015 to 2016. Using New York City death certificate data linked to medical examiner toxicology data, we identified all overdose deaths where post-mortem toxicology results were positive for cocaine from 2010 to 2016. We analyzed cocaine-involved overdose deaths by co-occurring substances. Age-adjusted rates per 100,000 residents were calculated for 6-month intervals from 2010 to 2016. Data suggest that increased deaths involving opioids, specifically fentanyl, accounted for most of the increase in cocaine-involved deaths from 2015 to 2016.

Keywords: Cocaine; Fentanyl; Heroin; Opioid; Overdose.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Age-adjusted rate and 95% confidence interval of unintentional drug-poisoning death, by selected substances involved, New York City, 2010–2016.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Age-adjusted rate and 95% confidence interval of unintentional drug-poisoning death, by selected substances involved, New York City, 2010–2016.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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