New study highlights risks of combining benzodiazepines and opioids

The risk of overdose from taking opioid analgesics at the same time as benzodiazepines is four times the risk from taking opioids by themselves, according to new research. The study used VA documentation and the National Death Index to identify 422,786 veterans prescribed opioids for nonterminal cancer pain, about a quarter of whom also were on benzodiazepines. Approximately 2,400 people in the study sample suffered a fatal overdose, and about one-half of them were patients taking both drugs.