Fentanyl dosage, side effects
Fentanyl dosage, side effects:
Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid analgesic, similar to morphine but 50 to 100 times more potent. It is primarily used for pain management in medical settings but is also misused as a recreational drug, leading to a high risk of overdose and death.
Brand Names of Fentanyl
Fentanyl is available in various formulations, including:
1. Pharmaceutical (Medical) Brand Names
- Actiq® – Oral lozenge (lollipop) for breakthrough cancer pain.
- Duragesic® – Transdermal patch for chronic pain management.
- Fentora® – Buccal tablet for breakthrough cancer pain.
- Abstral® – Sublingual tablet for breakthrough pain.
- Subsys® – Sublingual spray for breakthrough cancer pain.
- Lazanda® – Nasal spray for breakthrough pain.
- Onsolis® – Buccal soluble film (discontinued in some regions).
- Sublimaze® – Injectable form used in anesthesia.
2. Illicit (Street) Names
Fentanyl is often mixed with heroin, cocaine, or pressed into counterfeit pills, sold under names like:
- Apache
- China Girl
- China White
- Dance Fever
- Friend
- Goodfellas
- Jackpot
- Murder 8
- Tango & Cash
Uses of Fentanyl
- Severe pain management (e.g., cancer, post-surgery).
- Anesthesia adjunct.
- Chronic pain (via patches).
Risks & Dangers
- Extremely high overdose risk (even 2 mg can be lethal).
- Often mixed with other drugs (e.g., heroin, counterfeit Xanax or Oxycodone).
- No smell/taste, making accidental ingestion easy.
- Naloxone (Narcan®) can reverse an overdose but may require multiple doses due to fentanyl’s potency.
Legal Status
- Schedule II in the U.S. (high potential for abuse but accepted medical use).
- Illicit manufacturing and distribution are major contributors to the opioid crisis.
