The Problem
With the rise in prescription medications comes another problem: a dramatic rise in Adverse Drug Effects (ADEs). Just how largescale of a problem is it? Take a closer look below.
The Problem with Prescription Medications
The Statistics Tell the Story
Adverse Drug Effects
(ADEs)
-ADEs are now the 3rd leading cause of death in the U.S. and the 2nd leading cause of hospital readmissions.
-40% of hospital and outpatient admissions for ADE’s are considered “preventable.”
-Treating ADEs add over $5.3 billion in additional healthcare costs per year.
Perioperative
Costs
-80% Patients report moderate to severe pain after surgery.
-38% of Outpatient Readmissions result from incomplete pain management or ADE’s from Pain Medications.
-Every 100 Morphine equivalents a patient takes pre-surgery equals a 1.1 day increase in their length of stay.
Opioid
Crisis
-90% of post-surgical patients receive prescription opioids for pain relief.
-1 in 9 patients prescribed opioids after surgery become long-term users.
-4 in 5 new Heroin users began as prescription opioid users.
-67+ deaths each day attributed to prescription opioids (41% of drug overdose deaths are from pain medications).