46 Americans Die Each Day From Painkiller OD's

According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, between 1993 and 2012 the group with the highest rate of overdose was the 45 to 54 age group.  This is more than four times the rate for teenagers and young adults.  The age group 45 to 85 increased five times as much than the last survey.  This statistic may be lower than is actually true.  If a younger person doesn't wake up in the morning, the death immediately looks suspicious.  A medical examiner is called in.  But when an older person doesn't wake up, natural causes is assumed.  Especially if the person has multiple medical problems. But the true cause, an accidental opioid overdose, may go unnoticed. Older Americans are at high risk of overdose because the body's ability to clear drugs from the system declines with age.  A safe dose for younger people can be dangerous for older patients.  Many medications, such as for heart disease, have to be cleared through the liver or kidneys.  This is makes the risk even higher.  And last, seniors are more likely to be prescribed an opioid drug for chronic pain.