Kratom can be particularly risky for older adults looking for pain relief

Chronic pain is a terrible problem without adequate solutions. Many people use opioid drugs to relieve pain, but concerns about dependency have resulted in many doctors reducing or eliminating the narcotics offered to patients. Many people are turning to alternative options for pain relief, and a popular solution is a plant called Kratom. 

Kratom’s theme research uses among the elderly have recently been published in the Journal of the American Society of Geriatrics, revealing that Kratom calls to poison control centers in the United States have increased considerably. Among the calls about Kratom, about 5% concerned adults aged 60 or old, almost half of which are confronted with “life-threatening” or “significant disability” questions as a result of the product of the plant .

The study examined appeals to American poisoning centers from 2014 to 2019 using American Poison (NDP) National Poison (NDP) data system data. Among calls related to exposure to Kratom in adults aged 18 and over, 4.6% involved adults aged 60 and over.

According to researchers, most calls have been placed by health facilities specifically on Kratom’s consumption, with more than 74% of cases involving the intentional use of the product. Compared to younger people, the study revealed that 21.9% of use in adults aged 70 and over led to a kind of adverse reaction.

Cardiovascular and neurological effects have been identified in these patients, 23 of which died later in association with the use of Kratom. As a result, researchers warn the public that the elderly may have a special risk of using Kratom, including things such as falling or interactions with their existing medicines.