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CDC: Women Overdosing On Painkillers On The Rise

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The CDC has issued a warning to doctors about prescribing painkillers to women. Overdoses among women rose 400 percent between 1999 and 2010.

More than 48,000 women died during that time from overdosing on drugs like oxycotin and vicodin.

In 2010 alone, more than 200,000 women were in the emergency room for minor misuse or abuse of painkillers. That's about one woman every three minutes.

Doctors do have guidance to help curb this statistic.

"Take it only as indicated on the bottle and when you finsih taking the prescription pain medications get rid of those presscription pain medications and not save them for another time," said Dr. Tod Bania, of Roosevelt Hospital.

Overdoses are also on the rise for men, but not as sharply as they are for women.

Research shows that women are more likely to have chronic pain, more likely to be prescribed pain killers and more likely to be given higher doses.

Studies also show women are more likely than men to become dependent on painkillers more quickly.

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