Opioid-Related Deaths in the United States in 2017
In 2017, there were 70,237 total drug overdose deaths in the United States, of which 47,600 (67.8%) involved opioids. 1
Key Epidemiological Data
The 2017 opioid mortality data represents a critical peak in the opioid epidemic:
- Total drug overdose deaths: 70,237 1
- Opioid-involved deaths: 47,600 1, 2
- Percentage of drug deaths involving opioids: Approximately two-thirds (67.8%) 1, 2
This represented a continuation of the alarming upward trend, with the national age-adjusted death rate from drug overdoses having more than tripled from 6.1 per 100,000 people in 1999 to 21.6 per 100,000 people by 2019. 1
Geographic and Demographic Distribution
The hardest-hit states in 2017 were concentrated in Appalachia and the Northeast, with the highest age-adjusted death rates in: 3
- West Virginia (51.5 per 100,000)
- Delaware (43.8 per 100,000)
- Maryland (37.2 per 100,000)
- Pennsylvania (36.1 per 100,000)
- Ohio (35.9 per 100,000)
- New Hampshire (35.8 per 100,000) 1
The opioid epidemic disproportionately affected individuals aged 25-54 years, with the highest death rates in: 1, 3
- Ages 25-34: 38.4 per 100,000
- Ages 35-44: 39.0 per 100,000
- Ages 45-54: 37.7 per 100,000
Clinical Context
The 2017 mortality data exceeded automobile crash deaths and represented drug poisoning as the number one cause of injury-related death in the United States. 1 These deaths contributed significantly to the decrease in American life expectancy from 78.8 to 78.5 years during 2014-2017. 4
Polysubstance involvement was present in 62.6% of all opioid deaths, substantially increasing mortality risk, with benzodiazepine co-involvement increasing death rates 3- to 10-fold compared to opioids alone. 3, 5