NATIONWIDE — Fentanyl overdose deaths among Americans aged 65 and older have surged by 1,470% since 2015, with deaths involving fentanyl mixed with stimulants increasing by an alarming 9,000% during the same period, according to research presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2025 annual meeting in San Antonio.
The cross-sectional study, conducted by lead author Gab Pasia, a medical student at University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine, and co-author Dr. Richard Wang, an anesthesiology resident at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, analyzed 404,964 death certificates from the CDC listing fentanyl as a cause of death between 1999 and 2023. Of those fatalities, 17,040 involved adults 65 years of age or older.
Rising Death Toll Among Elderly
Deaths from fentanyl among seniors climbed from 264 in 2015 to 4,144 in 2023, according to data from the CDC WONDER (Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research) system. The proportion of those deaths that also involved stimulants such as cocaine and methamphetamine increased dramatically from 8.7% to 49.9% during that eight-year span, representing a 9,000% increase, as reported by the American Society of Anesthesiologists.
"The overdose crisis has continually gotten worse," said Daniel Arendt, PharmD, associate professor in the University of Cincinnati's James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy and a member of the UC/UC Health Addiction Center, as reported by WISH-TV in Indianapolis. "And it's still a public health epidemic."
The findings reveal that methamphetamine has overtaken alcohol and benzodiazepines as the most common stimulant combined with fentanyl in fatal overdoses, according to multiple news outlets covering the study.
Why Seniors Face Higher Overdose Risk
Medical experts emphasize that elderly patients face unique vulnerabilities that increase their overdose risk. Seniors with multiple chronic health conditions process drugs more slowly than younger adults, according to researchers cited in the study.
"Just a small amount (the equivalent of a few grains of salt) can stop breathing and cause overdose death," Dr. Larissa K. Laskowski, an emergency medicine physician and medical toxicologist at NYU Langone Health, told Fox News.
The research showed that approximately 60% of all U.S. overdose deaths in the past year involved synthetic opioids, primarily fentanyl, as reported by WISH-TV. The sharp upward trend in fentanyl-stimulant deaths among seniors began around 2020, while deaths involving other substances remained relatively flat or declined, according to the American Society of Anesthesiologists press release.
Comparison With Younger Adults
While the crisis affects seniors disproportionately in percentage terms, younger adults still account for the majority of fentanyl deaths overall. Among adults aged 25 to 64, fentanyl deaths increased 660% between 2015 and 2023, rising from 8,513 to 64,694, according to the CDC data analyzed in the study.
However, the involvement of stimulants with fentanyl among younger adults increased from 21.3% to 59.3% during the same period — a 2,115% increase, which is substantially lower than the 9,000% jump observed in the senior population, as reported by Fox News.
The researchers noted that the overdose crisis entered public awareness in the early 2010s and has continued to worsen despite increased attention and intervention efforts, according to statements made by University of Cincinnati experts.
National Public Health Response
Federal health authorities continue to track the evolving overdose crisis through the CDC WONDER system, which compiles death certificate data from across the United States. The system allows researchers to identify trends in drug-related fatalities and helps inform public health interventions.
The study's findings were presented to anesthesiologists and other medical professionals at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2025 annual meeting, highlighting the need for healthcare providers to recognize overdose risk factors in elderly patients who may not fit traditional profiles of drug users.
Resources for Families
Families concerned about overdose risks or medication safety for elderly loved ones can contact the National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center at 1-800-677-1116. The hotline provides information about resident rights, quality of care issues, and how to report concerns.
Additional resources are available through the Long-Term Care Ombudsman program's website at https://ltcombudsman.org, which offers guidance for families navigating care decisions for aging relatives.
Naloxone, a medication that can reverse opioid overdoses, is increasingly available without prescription at pharmacies nationwide. Healthcare providers recommend that families of elderly patients taking pain medications or those with substance use concerns keep naloxone on hand as a potentially life-saving measure.
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