Prescription Opioid Dispensing Patterns Prior to Heroin Overdose in a State Medicaid Program: a Case-Control Study.

Although individuals with a heroin-involved overdose were less likely to receive prescribed opioids in the year preceding their overdose relative to non-heroin opioid overdose cases, prescription opioid use was relatively common and increased with age. Discontinuation of long-term prescription opioid use was not associated with heroin-involved overdose.