Many Ontarians were newly started on high-dose prescription opioids, this according to a new report by Health Quality Ontario. These opioid ‘new starts’ are despite evidence that those who receive prescription opioids at high doses are several times more likely to overdose compared to those on lower doses.
In addition, nearly 325,000 were started with a prescription for more than 7 days at any dosage. Evidence tells us that initial prescriptions for more than 7 days of opioids have been associated with a higher risk of long-term use.
For more findings and to read Starting on Opioids, visit www.hqontario.ca/StartingonOpioids.
To help organizations and individuals in Ontario better respond to the risk of opioid overdose, the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Ontario has developed a toolkit: Reducing Harms: Recognizing and Responding to Opioid Overdoses in your Organization.