Study Finds Link Between Overdoses and Liver Disease.
A study from Australia looked at people who had died from opioid overdoses, and found a link to cirrhosis of the liver. Of all 841 deaths investigated, "10 per cent of those aged 35 to 44 and a quarter of those aged over 44 had been diagnosed with cirrhosis." This high prevalence among the group suggests a link, but no direct causal link could be determined by the study. This may help to explain why so many older, experienced heroin users overdose.