Fentanyl Overdose: Symptoms, Dangers & Treatment

When examining toxicology post-mortem, researchers in the study took blood https://ecosoberhouse.com/ samples from different locations. These locations included femoral, cardiac, subclavian and iliac arteries (Table 5). Currently, with the epidemic of fentanyl, it is particularly dangerous to experiment with medications, especially since one pill can kill. Any pill that does not come from a legitimate pharmacy could contain a lethal dose of fentanyl, and we are seeing more and more patients that are younger in age that are sometimes first-time users of medication, and they’re experiencing a tragic overdose. Fentanyl is a full μ-opioid receptor agonist, but it also acts on δ- and κ-opioid receptors68,69. Fentanyl has been shown to exert its analgesic and lethal effects through different receptor populations in the CNS.

How quickly, from the point of ingesting, can someone begin to show these symptoms of a fentanyl overdose?

To directly combat overdose risks, Congress has increased funding for the distribution of naloxone and support for syringe services programs. West Virginia was home to seven of the 10 counties with the highest fentanyl overdose rates, based on 2022 county-level CDC data. Despite there being no evidence to suggest that myths like these are true, they still fuel fear and misunderstanding, which makes it difficult for people to know the facts about fentanyl use and fentanyl overdoses. And when people don’t know the facts, it can be difficult for them to receive the help they need — whether for themselves or for someone else. If someone fears they may have been exposed to a dangerous drug, it’s possible they could have a panic attack. The pounding heart rate and breathing difficulties could easily be mistaken for a drug overdose.

Drug information

OD2A focuses on understanding and tracking the complex and changing nature of the drug overdose crisis by seamlessly integrating data and prevention strategies. This report highlights the need to carefully review the prescribing of fentanyl, particularly in those areas where there are extremely high instances of death, eg, in North America. It should be ensured that the drug is only prescribed for those who absolutely require it and in accordance with professional guidelines. All healthcare professionals must provide explicit and clear education to those taking fentanyl with regards to how the drug should be used appropriately and the consequences of overuse, misuse and diversion. Prescribers may consider providing naloxone to said patients as symptoms may take hold too quickly for emergency services to arrive.

Links to NCBI Databases

Fentanyl deaths are defined as drug overdoses listed as accidents, suicides, homicides, or of undetermined intent that involved synthetic opioids other than methadone. Fentanyl works in the brain to block pain and is in the same class of drugs as morphine or hydrocodone but is about 50 to 100 times more potent. It blocks opioid receptors and its most dangerous side effect is respiratory depression (slowed or absent breathing), which can quickly lead to coma and death.

Lifestyle Quizzes

It can depress your respiratory status; it can depress and make you sleepy. Fentanyl is an extremely potent medication that can stop or slow breathing, and patients can die in a matter of minutes. The fastest way to get them help, the fastest way to save their life, is to start with a call to 911.

Deaths involving illegally made fentanyl are rising

In the emergency department, we see the effect that it has on patients, but we very rarely see the actual drug. Though I have not encountered fentanyl in a candy form, I am not surprised because this takes many different forms and shapes out in the community. Twelve-step programs, which many people are familiar with, have been a long-time treatment we use to treat addiction. And they help a patient to identify addiction as a chronic, long-term condition.

Overdose Prevention

Some people accidently overdose on prescription fentanyl because they misunderstand the instructions on the drug’s label. Regardless of the cause, fentanyl deaths have been increasing at an alarming rate in recent years. People with opioid addiction tend to have high tolerances to opioids, such as oxycodone or heroin.

• Real solutions to the overdose crisis are likely to be complex, costly and time-consuming, especially if the street drug supply keeps evolving with more dangerous chemicals.
• The prevalence of non-fatal overdose is very high among people who inject drugs36–38.
• It relates to the effect on breathing and oxygen delivery, so you might see a patient and their skin feels clammy, or they have discoloration in their nails.
• But when someone takes too much OxyContin or heroin or fentanyl, the drugs bash into so many neurons and attach to so many receptors that all sorts of signals can end up blocked, including breathing.

What are the symptoms of a fentanyl overdose?

Addiction experts pointed to a number of possible factors, other than public health strategies, that could be contributing to the drop in fatal overdoses, including the changing make-up of the street drug supply. It is commonly mixed with drugs like heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine and made into pills that are made to resemble other prescription opioids. Drugs mixed with fentanyl are extremely dangerous, and many people may be unaware that their drugs contain it. In recent surveys, it showed that one in seven Americans identified as suffering from some substance use disorder.

Fentanyl mixed with Xylazine is an emerging threat‎

Always keep fentanyl in a safe place away from children, teens, visitors, pets and from anyone for whom it has not been prescribed. Tell your healthcare provider if you live in a home where there are small children or someone who has abused street or prescription drugs. Additionally, the Fentanyl Sanctions Act and the Blocking Deadly Fentanyl Imports Act focus on curbing the supply and trafficking of illicit opioids.

• According to Gupta, federal spending on the crisis has surged, with roughly 40% more dollars flowing to the states.
• Any pill that does not come from a legitimate pharmacy could contain a lethal dose of fentanyl, and we are seeing more and more patients that are younger in age that are sometimes first-time users of medication, and they’re experiencing a tragic overdose.
• Together, these two age groups accounted for over half of all fentanyl deaths.

Articles were included if they were case studies and case series that reported deaths how long does iv fentanyl stay in your system of adults (16 years and above) related to fentanyl/NSOs and published in the English language. Articles focusing on the analogues and solely on fentanyl laced products were excluded. Unfortunately, there’s no way to identify either by look, taste, color or smell that fentanyl has been put into another drug. Sometimes people can press that powder into a tablet form, which can look just like other tablets we use. They can even use those same markings on those tablets when really what they’re dealing with is fentanyl, and it can act on the body in a completely different way and, because of the potency, can cause a patient to die. The problem that occurs when you mix the usage of drugs, you can amplify some of the side effects.