Fentanyl overdose deaths increased by 9,000% among seniors over 8 years

Older Americans are not immune from the current opioid epidemic.

Among adults 65 and older, overdose deaths from fentanyl mixed with stimulants – such as cocaine and methamphetamines – have increased 9,000% over the past eight years, matching rates seen among younger adults.

That’s according to a study from the American Society of Anesthesiologists, presented this week at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2025 annual meeting in San Antonio.

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Using CDC data, researchers analyzed 404,964 death certificates listing fentanyl as the cause of death between 1999 and 2023.

Older adults made up 17,040 people, while younger adults, ages 25 to 64, made up 387,924.

Adults 65 and older accounted for more than 17,000 fentanyl-related deaths analyzed in CDC data between 1999 and 2023. (iStock)

Fentanyl-related deaths increased from 264 to 4,144 among older adults between 2015 and 2023, an increase of 1,470%. Younger adults saw a 660% increase.

Among people 65 and older, fentanyl stimulant-related deaths increased from 8.7% in 2015 to 49.9% in 2023, an increase of 9,000%.

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Among younger adults, these deaths increased from 21.3% in 2015 to 59.3% in 2023, an increase of 2,115%.

The year 2015 marked the start of the fourth wave of the opioid crisis, when fentanyl stimulants began to be the cause of increases in overdose deaths, data shows.

Fentanyl stimulants began to be the cause of the increase in overdose deaths in 2015. (iStock)

Deaths among the elderly began to rise sharply in 2020, the researchers noted. Among the stimulants associated with fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamines were the most common, surpassing alcohol, heroin and benzodiazepines.

“There is no quality control. Many drugs today contain fentanyl.”

Older adults are particularly susceptible to these overdoses because many live with chronic health conditions, take multiple medications and process medications “more slowly due to age,” researchers said.

It’s a common misconception that opioid overdoses primarily affect young people, according to Gab Pasia, lead author of the study 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 affected by fentanyl-related deaths and that stimulant use has become much more common in this group,” he said in a statement. “This suggests that older adults are being affected by the current fourth wave of the opioid crisis, following similar patterns seen in younger populations.”

Older adults are more vulnerable to overdoses because many live with chronic health conditions, take multiple medications and process medications more slowly, researchers said. (iStock)

Researchers could not determine the underlying reasons for these overdoses because the analysis was a cross-sectional study of trends over time, Pasia noted.

“However, the findings highlight that fentanyl overdoses among older adults are often multi-substance deaths – not due to fentanyl alone – and the importance of sharing drug abuse prevention strategies with older patients,” he said.

Reduce 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 years old.

Study co-author Richard Wang, MD, an anesthesiology resident at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, added that older adults who are prescribed opioids, or their caregivers, should be informed about overdose prevention strategies, such as having naloxone on hand and knowing the signs of an overdose.

Physicians are encouraged to be cautious when prescribing opioids to elderly patients. (iStock)

Risk can also be reduced by simplifying processing 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 methods of pain control when appropriate,” Wang said in the press release. “Good patient education and regular review of medication lists could help curb this terrible trend.”

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Dr. Larissa K. Laskowski, an emergency room physician and medical toxicologist at NYU Langone Health, told Fox News Digital that the results of this study are “not surprising” since illegally manufactured fentanyl is “one of the most deadly substances known to man.”

“In recent years, this drug has become more widespread in the illegal drug market,” said Laskowski, who was not involved in the study. “Fentanyl is regularly found in cocaine and methamphetamine stockpiles.”

Laskowski, an educator on the risks of fentanyl in schools, stressed that everyone, not just older adults, should be aware of the drug’s potential harms.

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“A small amount (the equivalent of a few grains of salt) can stop breathing and cause death from overdose,” she warned. “Any substance sold illegally (not in a licensed dispensary, pharmacy, or retail store) can contain anything.”

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“There is no quality control. Many drugs today contain fentanyl.”

The expert reiterated that doctors should talk with patients and caregivers about reversal agents, like over-the-counter Narcan, which is often available for free at health departments, clinics and hospitals.