Prescription Drug Overdoses Killing Americans

By Dr. Brian McDonough, Medical Editor

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - It is a very startling statistic that is often overlooked but every day 114 people die as the result of a drug overdose. The CDC calls it the leading cause of accidental death and sadly, prescription drugs are playing a greater and greater role.

Stanford resaearchers looked at 136,000 emergency room visits around the country and found more than two thirds of all overdoses were due to prescription opioids. We have a big problem in this country and it is essential physicians are extremely careful about using these medications only when absolutely necessary.

If I had to pinpoint the major health problem that I have seen grow in the past thirty years, prescription drug abuse is neck and neck with obesity. Unfortunately, we are making little headway in either area.