Doctor calls opioid crisis ‘epidemic within a pandemic,’ says drug overdoses linked to COVID-19
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – As the coronavirus pandemic rages on, so has the surge in opioid-related deaths. And with all the attention focused on COVID-19, an epidemic that’s plagued the country for years seems to have been forgotten.
News 8 spoke with Dr. Paul Christo, associate professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Christo discussed the spike in opioid deaths, the dangers of nonprescription opioids and how telehealth can serve as a critical tool for those who are struggling with addiction, especially during this time of COVID-19.
Gillis: So, let’s jump right into it. We have an epidemic within a pandemic. What’s going on here?
Christo: Well, what we’ve seen here — of course we have the COVID-19 pandemic — but what we’ve seen during this period of time is a huge spike in opioid-related deaths. When I say opioid-related deaths I mean synthetic opioids, not prescription opioids. I think there is a big difference there and an important one to emphasize.
Last year, the CDC estimated about over 70,000 drug overdose deaths in general, which is quite high. About half of those were related to synthetic opioids, like fentanyl and carfentanil. Not prescription opioids.
Gillis: And you talk about the opioid epidemic in three phases. Can you explain the three phases?
Christo: Sure. What we saw several years ago was an increase in opioid-related deaths due to prescription opioids. A lot of that, though, was not only due to prescription opioids alone, like oxycontin or hydrocodone, along with other substances like alcohol or benzodiazepines like valium, for example. Over time that shifted to deaths related to heroin, and then over the last two or three years, what we’re seeing now are an increased number of deaths related to synthetic opioids — again, like fentanyl and carfentanil. Fentanyl is almost 100 times more potent than morphine, so you can see how easily it can cause death.
Gillis: These statistics could be underreported.
Christo: Yes, I think it is underreported. So, in 2019 when we had over 70,000 drug overdose deaths, half of those we think were related to synthetic opioids. The estimate for 2020 amid the pandemic may be double that. We just don’t know the data yet. We’re still waiting.
Gillis: You also talk about closed borders, how this impacts drug supply, which may make them more challenging to get. Therefore, the price goes up, as well as the potency. Explain how that works.
Christo: Well, due to the pandemic we’ve seen a lot of closed borders. Our country’s borders have closed, so there is less access to the United States and as a result there is a lack of supply of these synthetic opioids or other illicit drugs to people who use them. That’s increased the price of them and it’s also shifted the use of synthetic substances to others, like methamphetamines, where we’ve seen a lot of deaths due to stimulants related to methamphetamines along with synthetic opioids.
Gillis: And clinicians can advocate for their patients’ health. Online support is available. Drugs as a treatment are available. How do we get clinicians to convey this to patients?
Christo: I think greater awareness. So, first of all, telehealth services are more widely available now than they were before the pandemic started. Telehealth services have been really helpful for those who have the disease of addiction, that might have opioid abuse disorder or other substance abuse disorders because this links the person to a therapist, to a counselor or a psychiatrist. This is key in the recovery process. So, I think if more and more clinicians are much more available, there will be much more access.
Gillis: And I understand people can learn more about your work as you host a radio show. Tell us about it.
Christo: Yes, I host a national radio show on Sirius XM called “Aches and Gains” and it focuses on overcoming pain. I mean, about 100 million people alone suffer from chronic pain. So, the show focuses on how to get through it by providing compelling stories for those who’ve overcome pain, as well as contributing experts.
Gillis: So, people aren’t alone. It’s OK to ask for help, right? Dr. Christo, thank you so much for this conversation. It’s going to help a lot of people and you draw attention to a very important topic that might have been overlooked because of this pandemic, but it is still happening.
News 8’s medical reporter, Dr. Mary Elizabeth Gillis, D.Ed., is a classically trained medical physiologist and biobehavioral research scientist. She has been a health, medical and science reporter for over 5 years. Her work has been featured in national media outlets. You can follow her on Instagram @reportergillis and Facebook @DrMaryGillis.
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