Over the past decade opioid use has risen globally. The causes and consequences of this increase, especially in Europe, are poorly understood. We conducted a population-based cohort study using national statistics on analgesics prescriptions, opioid poisoning hospital admissions and deaths in the Netherlands from 2013 to 2017. Pain prevalence and severity was determined by using results of 2014–2017 Health Interview Surveys. Between 2013 and 2017 the proportion of residents receiving opioid prescription rose from 4.9% to 6.0%, and the proportion of those receiving NSAIDs decreased from 15.5% to 13.7%. Self-reported pain prevalence and severity remained constant, as 44.7% of 5,119 respondents reported no pain-impeded activities-of-daily-living in 2014 (aRR, 1.00 [95% CI, 0.95–1.06] in 2017 vs 2014). Over the observation period, the incidence of opioid poisoning hospitalization and death increased from 8.6 to 12.9 per 100,000 inhabitants. The incidence of severe outcomes related to opioid use increased, as 3.9% of 1,343 hospitalized for opioid poisoning died in 2013 and 4.6% of 2,055 in 2017. We demonstrated that NSAIDs prescription decreased and opioid prescription increased in the Netherlands since 2013, without an increase in pain prevalence and severity. Consequently, the incidence of severe outcomes related to opioids increased.

在过去十年中，阿片类药物的使用在全球范围内有所增加。这种增长的原因和后果，尤其是在欧洲，人们知之甚少。我们使用 2013 年至 2017 年荷兰关于镇痛药处方、阿片类药物中毒住院和死亡的国家统计数据进行了一项基于人群的队列研究。使用 2014 年至 2017 年健康访谈调查的结果确定了疼痛患病率和严重程度。2013 年至 2017 年间，接受阿片类药物处方的居民比例从 4.9% 上升至 6.0%，接受非甾体抗炎药的居民比例从 15.5% 下降至 13.7%。自我报告的疼痛患病率和严重程度保持不变，因为 5,119 名受访者中有 44.7% 报告说 2014 年没有疼痛阻碍日常生活活动（aRR，1.00 [95% CI，0.95–1.06]，2017 年与 2014 年相比）。在观察期内，阿片类药物中毒住院和死亡的发生率从每 10 万居民 8.6 人增加到 12.9 人。与阿片类药物使用相关的严重后果发生率增加，2013 年因阿片类药物中毒住院的 1,343 人中有 3.9% 死亡，2017 年 2,055 人中有 4.6% 死亡。我们证明自 2013 年以来，荷兰的 NSAID 处方减少，阿片类药物处方增加，但没有增加疼痛的发生率和严重程度。因此，与阿片类药物相关的严重后果的发生率增加。我们证明，自 2013 年以来，荷兰的 NSAIDs 处方减少，阿片类药物处方增加，而疼痛患病率和严重程度没有增加。因此，与阿片类药物相关的严重后果的发生率增加。我们证明，自 2013 年以来，荷兰的 NSAIDs 处方减少，阿片类药物处方增加，而疼痛患病率和严重程度没有增加。因此，与阿片类药物相关的严重后果的发生率增加。