Increase in available transplant organs tied to opioid deaths
"We want doctors to not fear taking organs from this source," say researchers. Donor organs for transplants are in high demand. It’s estimated that 20 people die each day waiting for a transplant in the United States. But the chances for patients on the waiting list are also improving, as rates of organ donation keep rising. With four out of five donated organs coming from deceased donors, it’s important to know where these organs are coming from. A new study in the New England Journal of Medicine provides an answer: the opioid crisis. Between 2000 and 2016, the proportion of organ donors who died from drug intoxication grew an astonishing tenfold. The researchers also analyzed survival rates of 2,360 patients one year after receiving a donated heart or lung—the organs most likely to be affected by reduced oxygen supply during a drug overdose. They found that transplants resulting from these donations are just as successful as those from other sources. We spoke with study author Mandeep Mehra to learn more. Read full article...
Source: https://www.researchgate.net/blog/post/increase-in-available-transplant-organs-tied-to-opioid-deaths