Fentanyl

Episode Outline: FENTANYL – USE VS. ABUSE Bottomline – When used appropriately (surgery, cancer) it is very beneficial! Approach: How to balance benefits vs. risks? What it is? • Synthetic narcotic painkiller and anesthetic – created 1960 • Pharmacology – binds to opiate receptors in brain – fast and in small doses 50-100x > morphine, 50x > heroin • Dosage forms – injection, patch, sublingual, tablet, film, lozenges, lollipops • Rx pain after surgery, severe cancer pain o Rx requires enrollment in program to decrease risk of medication o NMT 4x/day • Drug Interactions – o Heart: Amiodarone, Diltiazem o Antibiotics: Clarithromycin, Erythromycin o Antifungals: antifungals (fluconazole, itraconazole, ketoconazole) o Heart burn: Cimetidine o HIV drugs o Depressants: Benzodiazepines, muscle relaxants, sedatives, tranquilizers Risks? • Narrow therapeutic index! • Withdrawal – muscle pain, diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, sweating, abdominal pain, cramping, tachycardia, insomnia, tremors, anxiety • NIH – 9580 deaths in 2015 • Illegal – cut heroin • Addiction Treatment – o Methadone, buprenorphine, naltrexone o Recovery, professional therapy, group counseling _______ Make sure to subscribe to get the latest episode. Contact Us: Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.propharmaconsultants.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/propharmainc Twitter: https://twitter.com/ProPharma/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/propharmainc/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pro-pharma-pharmaceutical-consultants-inc/ Podcast: https://anchor.fm/pro-pharma-talks YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ProPharmaEducation