![]() Its potency also means that it is profitable for dealers as well as dangerous for those who use it, intentionally or unintentionally. ![]() It’s 50-100 times stronger than heroin or morphine, meaning even a small dosage can be deadly. So what is fentanyl and why is it so dangerous?įentanyl is a synthetic opioid, meaning it is made in a laboratory but acts on the same receptors in the brain that painkillers, like oxycodone or morphine, and heroin, do. Previously used only as a pharmaceutical painkiller for crippling pain at the end of life or for surgical procedures, fentanyl is now making headlines as the drug responsible for a growing proportion of overdose deaths. Fentanyl’s relative obscurity was shattered with the well-publicized overdose death of pop star Prince. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.Īs we watch the devastation of the opioid crisis escalate in a rising tide of deaths, a lesser known substance is frequently mentioned: fentanyl. Please note the date each article was posted or last reviewed. ARCHIVED CONTENT: As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |