Gap sharply narrowed between older and younger adults from 2015 to 2023<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter<\/b>
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THURSDAY, Oct. 16, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Overdose deaths in older adults from fentanyl mixed with stimulants, such as cocaine and methamphetamine, have surged in the past eight years, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Anesthesiologists, held from Oct. 10 to 14 in San Antonio.<\/p>\n
Lorenzo Gabriel Pasia, from University of Nevada in Reno, and colleagues examined trends in fentanyl-related overdose deaths among older adults from 2000 to 2023, including those with stimulant co-involvement, using CDC WONDER mortality data.<\/p>\n
The researchers found that the age-adjusted mortality rates for fentanyl-related overdose deaths increased in both older adults and the general population since 2010. While older adults still have lower fentanyl-related mortality, its rise sharply narrowed the gap between age groups. Among older adults, from 2015 to 2023, the proportion of fentanyl-related deaths involving stimulants rose from 8.7 to 49.9 percent, while among the general population, stimulant involvement in fentanyl-related deaths rose from 21.3 to 59.3 percent. The most frequently co-involved substances seen among fentanyl-related overdose deaths in older adults were stimulants followed by benzodiazepines, alcohol, and heroin.<\/p>\n
“A common misconception is that opioid overdoses primarily affect younger people,” Pasia said in a statement. “This suggests older adults are affected by the current fourth wave of the opioid crisis, following similar patterns seen in younger populations.”<\/p>\n