Opioid deaths involving concurrent benzodiazepine use: Assessing risk factors through the analysis of prescription drug monitoring data and postmortem toxicology.

Background: A high proportion of opioid drug deaths involve concurrent benzodiazepine use. To reduce the risk of drug overdose, various prescription drug monitoring programs have been implemented. This study examined the impact of concurrent benzodiazepine use on opioid-related deaths, and the utility of the Michigan Automated Prescription System (MAPS) in predicting risk of opioid death.