Health
Deadly drug mix drives staggering rise in overdose deaths among seniors
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America’s seniors aren’t immune to the ongoing opioid epidemic.
Among adults 65 and older, overdose deaths from fentanyl mixed with stimulants — like cocaine and methamphetamines — have surged 9,000% in the last eight years, which matches rates among younger adults.
That’s according to research from the American Society of Anesthesiologists, which was presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2025 annual meeting this week in San Antonio.
DEADLY DRUG STRONGER THAN FENTANYL SPREADS RAPIDLY ACROSS THE AMERICAS, EXPERTS WARN
Using CDC data, the researchers analyzed 404,964 death certificates that listed fentanyl as a cause of death between 1999 and 2023.
Older adults represented 17,040 of the individuals, while younger adults, aged 25 to 64, represented 387,924.
Adults 65 and older represented over 17,000 fentanyl deaths analyzed in CDC data between 1999 and 2023. (iStock)
Fentanyl-related deaths increased from 264 to 4,144 in older adults between 2015 and 2023 — a 1,470% increase. Younger adults saw a 660% increase.
Among those 65 and older, fentanyl-stimulant deaths rose from 8.7% in 2015 to 49.9% in 2023, marking a 9,000% increase.
POPULAR MEDICATIONS COULD CHANGE YOUR GUT HEALTH FOR YEARS, EXPERTS WARN
In younger adults, these deaths increased from 21.3% in 2015 to 59.3% in 2023, which is a 2,115% increase.
The year 2015 marked the onset of the fourth wave of the opioid crisis, when fentanyl-stimulants began to drive the increase in overdose deaths, data shows.
Fentanyl-stimulants began to drive the increase in overdose deaths in 2015. (iStock)
Deaths in older adults began to rise sharply in 2020, the researchers highlighted. Among stimulants paired with fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamines were the most common, surpassing alcohol, heroin and benzodiazepines.
“There is no quality control. Many drugs today are laced with fentanyl.”
Seniors are especially susceptible to these overdoses, as many live with chronic health conditions, take several medications, and process drugs “more slowly due to age,” the researchers stated.
It’s a common misconception that opioid overdoses primarily affect younger people, according to Gab Pasia, lead study author and a medical student at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine.
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“Our analysis shows that older adults are also impacted by fentanyl-related deaths, and that stimulant involvement has become much more common in this group,” he said in a statement. “This suggests that older adults are affected by the current fourth wave of the opioid crisis, following similar patterns seen in younger populations.”
Seniors are more vulnerable to overdoses, as many live with chronic health conditions, take several medications and process drugs more slowly, the researchers said. (iStock)
The researchers could not determine the underlying reasons for these overdoses, as the analysis was a cross-sectional study on patterns over time, Pasia noted.
“However, the findings underscore that fentanyl overdoses in older adults are often multi-substance deaths — not due to fentanyl alone — and the importance of sharing drug misuse prevention strategies to older patients,” he said.
Reducing the risk
The study authors advised anesthesiologists and other pain medicine specialists to recognize that polysubstance use can occur in all age groups, and to be cautious when prescribing opioids to adults over 65.
Study co-author Richard Wang, M.D., an anesthesiology resident at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, added that older adults prescribed opioids, or their caregivers, should be informed about overdose prevention strategies, such as having naloxone available and knowing the signs of an overdose.
Doctors are encouraged to be cautious when prescribing opioids to senior patients. (iStock)
Risk can also be reduced by simplifying medication routines, and using clear labeling and safe storage instructions.
“With these trends in mind, it is more important than ever to minimize opioid use in this vulnerable group and use other pain control methods when appropriate,” Wang said in the press release. “Proper patient education and regularly reviewing medication lists could help to flatten this terrible trend.”
Dr. Larissa K. Laskowski, an emergency medicine physician and medical toxicologist at NYU Langone Health, told Fox News Digital that the findings of this study are “not surprising,” since illicit-made fentanyl is “one of the deadliest substances known to man.”
“In recent years, it has proliferated throughout the illegal drug market,” said Laskowski, who was not involved in the study. “Fentanyl is regularly found in supplies of cocaine and methamphetamine.”
Laskowski, an educator in fentanyl risk at schools, stressed that everyone, not just seniors, should be aware of the drug’s potential harms.
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“Just a small amount (the equivalent of a few grains of salt) can stop breathing and cause overdose death,” she warned. “Any substance that is sold illegally (not from a dispensary, pharmacy or licensed retail store) could have anything in it.”
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“There is no quality control. Many drugs today are laced with fentanyl.”
The expert reiterated that doctors should speak with patients and caregivers about reversal agents, like over-the-counter Narcan, which is often available for free at health departments, clinics and hospitals.
Jill Biden says Joe’s debate performance made her wonder if he had a stroke
Former first lady Jill Biden revises her account of former President Joe Biden’s disastrous 2024 debate, now alleging she feared he was suffering a stroke. This new statement from the first lady contrasts sharply with her earlier public affirmations of his performance. Contributor Ben Domenech scrutinizes the timing and motivations behind this sudden shift.
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Former first lady Jill Biden has expressed her concerns about former President Joe Biden’s health status, noting that she feared he was having a stroke during a 2024 debate against President Donald Trump.
Biden struggled his way through the performance, with long periods of silence, confused facial expressions and stammered speech. In a recent interview with CBS, Jill Biden commented that she was “frightened.”
“I don’t know what happened,” she said. “I mean, when I watched it, I thought, ‘Oh my God, he’s having a stroke,’ and it scared me to death.”
JILL BIDEN SAYS SHE THOUGHT JOE WAS HAVING A STROKE DURING HIS DISASTROUS 2024 DEBATE PERFORMANCE
A stroke occurs when there is bleeding in the brain or when blood flow to the brain is blocked, according to Mayo Clinic.
Identifying a stroke may be difficult, as symptoms can vary.
Stroke symptoms can include balance loss, weakness, slurred speech, face drooping, confusion and severe headaches. (iStock)
The American Stroke Association (ASA) identifies the following key warning signs, using the acronym “B.E. F.A.S.T.”
- B – Balance loss
- E – Eye (vision) changes
- F – Face drooping
- A – Arm weakness
- S – Speech difficulty
- T – Time to call 911
In a situation in which someone could be having a stroke, “the only” thing to do is to call 911, Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel told Fox News Digital.
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The doctor emphasized other symptoms to watch for, including weakness on one side, slurred speech, difficulty processing information and confusion.
The ASA also warns that severe headaches can also be a sign of stroke.
At the first sign of stroke, 911 should be contacted immediately, as 1.9 million brain cells die every minute that a stroke goes untreated. (iStock)
Siegel advised against giving the person an aspirin, as it could worsen bleeding in the brain if that is the cause of stroke.
With an ischemic stroke, that type of medication could be helpful.
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The ASA says 1.9 million brain cells die every minute that a stroke goes untreated, which means earlier treatment leads to higher survival rates and lower risk of disability.
“In medicine, we use the term ‘time is brain,’” Siegel said. “This means that the faster you bring the patient to the emergency room, the faster they can receive emergency treatment if indicated to reopen the blocked artery in the brain, if there is one.”
Brain imaging should be done within the first several hours after seeking medical attention for a stroke, according to a top physician. (iStock)
Brain imaging can also be done on arrival at the ER, which should occur within the first several hours, Siegel said.
Anyone who is experiencing a stroke should not drive themselves to the hospital, according to the CDC. Instead, the person should get a ride or call 911 — as treatment begins inside the ambulance.
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About 80% of strokes are preventable, the American Heart Association states.
Prevention includes managing high blood pressure, diabetes, atrial fibrillation and other risk factors.
One in four survivors have another stroke within the next five years, per CDC data, so those at higher risk should prepare a prevention and treatment plan.
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Fox News Digital’s Alexander Hall contributed to this report.
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Health
Single infusion of controversial drug changed severe depression symptoms within hours, study finds
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People experiencing severe depression with suicidal symptoms may not have to wait weeks for traditional antidepressants to take effect.
A recent review suggests that a single intravenous ketamine infusion can provide rapid relief for some patients.
Originally developed as an anesthetic, ketamine is a medicine that can reduce pain and, in some cases, help treat depression, but it can also be misused as a recreational drug, experts warn.
SINGLE DOSE OF POWERFUL PSYCHEDELIC CUTS DEPRESSION SYMPTOMS IN CLINICAL STUDY
Researchers from the University of Connecticut School of Medicine reviewed 26 clinical trials that included more than 1,100 patients. Approximately 626 received ketamine and 540 served as controls who did not take the drug.
Most of the trials included patients with major depressive disorder, but 11.5% included those with bipolar depression and 7.7% included people with both unipolar and bipolar depressive diagnoses.
A recent review suggests that a single intravenous ketamine infusion can provide rapid relief for some patients with treatment-resistant depression. (iStock)
Compared to a placebo, a single treatment significantly reduced depression in just four hours and dramatically lowered suicidal thoughts within 24 hours, the study found.
Patients reported fewer depressive symptoms after a week and reduced suicidal thoughts for up to a month after one ketamine infusion. Those who received repeated ketamine infusions showed a similar reduction of suicidal and depressive symptoms at the end of the treatment.
WHAT IS KETAMINE THERAPY? MORMON REALITY STARS TOUT CONTROVERSIAL TREATMENT
The most common adverse effects of ketamine – including headaches, numbness, dissociation (“out of body” experiences), nausea, dizziness and visual disturbances – were temporary and resolved within hours of the infusion.
Rarer, more serious side events included hospitalization, suicide attempts and suicide, but most were unrelated to ketamine, the review stated.
The analysis was published in May in JAMA Psychiatry.
Treatment-resistant depression
Major depressive disorder is a formal psychiatric diagnosis affecting approximately 280 million people globally, according to recent research.
Effective treatment involves a combination of therapy and medication, frequently antidepressants. However, for a few patients, symptoms do not respond to multiple therapies, a condition known as treatment-resistant depression, doctors say.
“When all existing treatment options fail, patients with severe depression could consider ketamine infusions.”
These patients are at a higher risk of very serious, sometimes tragic consequences, including suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts and death.
“When all existing treatment options fail, patients with severe depression could consider ketamine infusions,” lead author Taeho Greg Rhee, PhD, of the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, told Fox News Digital. “This is still a safer option when compared to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).”
Compared to a placebo, a single treatment significantly reduced depression in just four hours and dramatically lowered suicidal thoughts within 24 hours, the study found. (iStock)
Traditional antidepressants stabilize mood by slowly elevating serotonin levels in the brain, but it can take weeks for the full effect to be achieved.
Ketamine, in contrast, works rapidly by blocking glutamate, a neurotransmitter that can impact emotions negatively when levels are too high in the brain, according to Cleveland Clinic.
Implications for care
The authors say their findings have two important potential clinical applications.
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First, ketamine’s rapid effects can be a life-saving treatment in the emergency room for patients presenting with suicidal ideation.
Experts caution that the medication should only be administered in closely monitored settings, such as clinics, to ensure safe treatment. (iStock)
Second, the effects of a single ketamine infusion are relatively short-lived – as almost all patients relapsed with depressive symptoms after a single infusion – so those with treatment-resistant depression will need repeated sessions.
“While intravenous ketamine is not yet FDA-approved for treating depression, it may still be used with off-label indications for those with severe depression and/or with a high risk of suicidal behaviors,” said Rhee.
Experts urge caution despite promise
Dr. Lama Bazzi, a psychiatrist in private practice in New York City, has had several patients receive ketamine infusions.
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“For a small subset of patients in a major depressive episode or struggling with suicidal thoughts, intravenous ketamine can be genuinely lifesaving,” Bazzi, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital. “The relief they experience is almost immediate, offering them distance from the intensity of their emotions.”
However, she cautions that the medication should only be administered in closely monitored settings, such as clinics, to ensure safe treatment.
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Ketamine is not a panacea, Rhee agreed, warning of the potential risk of abuse and addiction.
“It should only be used medically,” he advised.
Ketamine’s rapid effects can be a life-saving treatment in the emergency room for patients presenting with suicidal ideation, some experts claim. (Getty Images)
Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, noted in previous comments to Fox News Digital that ketamine is increasingly being used to treat severe depression, but emphasized that it should be administered under careful medical supervision because of its potential risks.
Study limitations
Although the studies compared ketamine with a placebo, some patients may have realized they were receiving the drug. This could have influenced how they reported their symptoms and how effective they perceived the treatment to be, according to the researchers.
“It should only be used medically.”
Another limitation is the small sample size of the studies, which could make the effects seem disproportionately magnified.
Also, as this was a review of many different studies, it is challenging to apply the findings to the general population, the researchers noted.
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“While long-term outcomes have not been studied, I believe that when patients are severely depressed or suicidal, ketamine is sometimes the only choice that almost always works,” Bazzi added.
Anyone interested in exploring alternative depression treatments should first consult a doctor.
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