Fentanyl, a potent opioid agonist, was developed in the 1950s to fill a need for strong and rapid analgesia.[A179542] Because of these characteristics, fentanyl is commonly used to treat chronic cancer pain or in anesthesia.[Label,L6598,L6601,L6604,L6607,L922,L6610,L6613] Fentanyl is related to other opioids like [morphine] and [oxycodone]. Fentanyl's high potency has also made it a common adulterant in illicit drugs, especially heroin.[A179542] In 2017, 47600 overdose deaths in the United States involved some opioid (over 2/3 of all overdose deaths).[L6748] Opioid overdoses kill an average of 11 Canadians daily.[L6751] Fentanyl was FDA approved in 1968.[Label,L6598,L6601,L6604,L6607,L922,L6610,L6613]
Fentanyl intravenous or intramuscular injections are indicated for short term analgesia during induction, maintenance, and recovery from general or regional anesthesia.[Label] These injections are also used with a neuroleptic for premedication, induction, and as an adjunct to maintenance of anesthesia.[Label] Finally, fentanyl intravenous or intramuscular injections are used with oxygen for anesthesia in high risk patients.[Label] Fentanyl sublingual tablets, transmucosal lozenges, buccal tablets, sublingual sprays, transdermal systems, and nasal sprays are indicated for the management of breakthrough pain in opioid tolerant cancer patients who require around the clock pain management.[L6598,L6601,L6604,L6607,L922,L6610]
Categories
Adjuvants
Adjuvants, Anesthesia
Agents that produce hypertension
Agents that reduce seizure threshold
Analgesics
Anesthetics
Anesthetics, General
Anesthetics, Intravenous
Antidepressive Agents
Bradycardia-Causing Agents
Central Nervous System Agents
Central Nervous System Depressants
Cytochrome P-450 CYP3A Substrates
Cytochrome P-450 CYP3A4 Substrates
Cytochrome P-450 CYP3A7 Substrates
Cytochrome P-450 Substrates
Drugs that are Mainly Renally Excreted
Fentanyl and fentanyl analogues
High-risk opioids
Narcotics
Nervous System
Neuraxial Anesthetics
Opiate Agonists
Opioid Agonist
Opioid Anesthetics
Opioids
Opioids, Anilidopiperidine
P-glycoprotein inhibitors
Peripheral Nervous System Agents
Phenylpiperidine opioids
Piperidines
Sensory System Agents
Serotonergic Drugs Shown to Increase Risk of Serotonin Syndrome
Drug Info/Drug Targets: DrugBank 3.0: a comprehensive resource for 'omics' research on drugs. Knox C, Law V, Jewison
T, Liu P, Ly S, Frolkis A, Pon A, Banco K, Mak C, Neveu V, Djoumbou Y, Eisner R, Guo AC, Wishart DS.
Nucleic Acids Res. 2011 Jan; 39 (Database issue):D1035-41. | PMID:21059682