- What is it for
- How to use
- 1. Transdermal patch
- 2. Solution for injection
- Who should not use
- Possible side effects
Fentanyl, also known as fentanyl or fentanyl, is a medication used to relieve chronic pain, very severe pain or to be used as a complement to general or local anesthesia or to control postoperative pain.
This substance is available in transdermal patch, in various dosages, and can be applied by the person himself or administered via injection, the latter must be administered by a health professional.
What is it for
Transdermal patch fentanyl is a drug indicated for the treatment of chronic pain or very severe pain that requires analgesia with opioids and that cannot be treated with combinations of paracetamol and opioids, non-steroidal analgesics or with short-lived opioids.
Injectable fentanyl is indicated when necessary in the immediate postoperative period, for use as an analgesic component or for inducing general anesthesia and supplementing local anesthesia, for joint administration with neuroleptics in premedication, for use as a single anesthetic agent with oxygen in certain high-risk patients, and for epidural administration to control postoperative pain, cesarean section or other abdominal surgery. Learn more about epidural anesthesia.
How to use
The posology of fentanyl depends on the dosage form being used:
1. Transdermal patch
There are several dosages of transdermal patches available, which can be released 12, 25, 50 or 100 mcg / hour, for 72 hours. The prescribed dose depends on the intensity of the pain, the person's general condition and the medication that has already been taken to relieve the pain.
To apply the patch, choose a clean, dry, hairless intact skin area on the upper torso or on the arm or back. In children it should be placed on the upper back so that she does not try to remove it. Once applied, it can be in contact with water.
If the patch comes off after a certain period of use, but before 3 days, it must be properly discarded and applied a new patch in a different place from the previous one and inform the doctor. After three days, the adhesive can be removed by folding it twice with the adhesive side inwards and safely disposing. After that, the new adhesive can be applied according to the instructions on the package, avoiding the same place as the previous one. It should also be noted, on the bottom of the package, the date of adhesive placement.
2. Solution for injection
This medicine can be administered by epidural, intramuscular or vein, by a health professional, depending on the doctor's indication.
Some of the factors that should be considered in determining the proper dose should include the person's age, body weight, physical condition and pathological condition, in addition to the use of other medications, type of anesthesia to be used and the surgical procedure. involved.
Who should not use
This medicine is contraindicated in people with hypersensitivity to any of the components present in the formula or to other opioids.
In addition, it should also not be used by pregnant women, who are breastfeeding or during childbirth, unless recommended by the doctor.
Possible side effects
The most common side effects that can occur with the use of transdermal patch in adults are insomnia, drowsiness, dizziness, nausea, vomiting and headache. In children, the most common side effects that can occur are headache, vomiting, nausea, constipation, diarrhea and generalized itching.
The most common side effects that can occur with the use of injectable fentanyl are nausea, vomiting and muscle stiffness.
