Coast-to-coast opioid epidemic swamping U.S. hospitals

The coast-to-coast opioid epidemic is swamping hospitals, with government data published Tuesday showing 1.27 million emergency room visits or inpatient stays for opioid-related issues in a single year.

The 2014 numbers, the latest available, reflect a 64 percent increase for inpatient care and a 99 percent jump for emergency room treatment compared with figures from 2005. Their trajectory likely will keep climbing if the epidemic continues unabated.

http://www.startribune.com/the-coast-to-coast-opioid-epidemic-is-swamping-u-s-hospitals/429683543/