What is Fentanyl? Answers to opioid questions

The Trump administration announced on Thursday that he would suspend the tariffs on Mexico and Canada for about a month. The tariffs were aimed at thwarting the Fentanyl flow to the United States and suppressing the life -threatening overdose associated with the drug.

The message was aroused by Fentanyl, a drug that was at the forefront of the opioid epidemic, in the spotlight airy and questions about its threats arose.

Over 107,000 people died of drug overdose in 2023, and almost 70 percent of these deaths were caused by fentanyl and other opioids, in accordance with Drug enforcement administration.

Ephemeral CDC data by September last year indicate that the deaths caused by Fentanyl have been falling for months. However, many people know someone who died of fentanyl, said Dr. Daniel Colby, medical director of the Faculty of Emergency Medicine at the University of California, Davis. “I think that causes a lot of anxiety.”

What is Fentanyl?

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid, which means that he is created in a laboratory with chemicals, said Dr. David Fiellin, director of the Yale program in the field of addiction medicine.

Dr. Colby said that the drug approved by the food and second administration for pharmaceutical apply is to alleviate pain. He said that he can be passed on to someone who visits ER after breaking the bone, or while the patient undergoes an invasive surgery, he said.

Pharmaceutical fentanyl is incredibly powerful, so the doses are carefully measured by doctors. Dr. Fiellin said that it can be served in several ways, including an injection to the veins, absorbed by the skin with a patch or sprayed under the tongue.

Dr. Fiellin said that illegal fentanyl can also be injected and is often sold as a white powder that is snort, smoked or packed in a nutshell. And although there is no chemical difference between pharmaceutical fentanyl and a drug that is sold illegally, said Dr. Fiellin, illegal fentanyl is not measured or arranged carefully and often combines with other drugs.

You don’t know what you get when Fentanyl is “sold in a bag on the street,” said Dr. Colby.

How does it work?

Dr. Fiellin said that the brain and spinal cord have opioid receptors that aid regulate pain. When Fentanyl enters the bloodstream, it binds to these receptors and reduces how much pain the brain perceives, said Dr. Caroline Freiermuth, a professor of emergency medicine at the University of Cincinnati.

Dr. Fiellin said that the drug “kidnaps” the brain rewarding system by releasing dopamine and imitating substances such as endorphins that our body produces so that we feel good, said Dr. Fiellin. Dr. Freiermuth said it could create a “high” or a sense of euphoria related to the apply of many opioids.

Why is it so unsafe?

In tiny, Fentanyl can be unsafe because it is extremely powerful. He is considered “50 times stronger than heroin” and “100 times stronger than morphine”, in accordance with CDC This makes it easier for someone to overdose without medical supervision, experts said.

Dr. Colby said that the drug is often hidden or mixed with other substances. This means that many people do not know that they are consuming them. In 2023, about 46 percent of death due to overdose included opioids in combination with stimulants, including cocaine and methamphetamine,, According to CDC

The apply of fentanyl can cause confusion, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, in accordance with Dea Dr. Fiellin said that he can also cause constipation, drowsiness and deadly side effects called breathing depression, i.e. when the natural pursuit of breathing is snail-paced and shallow. He added that you can lose consciousness, stop breathing and die completely, added Dr. Colby. He said that you can experience these side effects only if Fentanyl enters your system. You will not feel anything or the risk of overdose if you are close to the substance.

Dr. Fiellin said that those who survive overdose may sometimes feel constant brain damage if they have been deprived of oxygen. They can also develop kidney failure, nerve damage and pneumonia, among others.

It is essential, however, to remember that Fentanyl is protected in medical agents, said Dr. Colby, where the doctor can make sure you take a protected dose.

“There is nothing wrong, immoral or bad in the drug itself,” said Dr. Colby.

Why are fentanyl death to fall?

Experts largely attributed to the medical nokson to reverse overdose, known as Narcan, with a reduction in deaths caused by opioids.

The FDA approved Nalloxon as prescription drugs several dozen years ago, but access increased interpretationally in 2023When the agency approved the nasal version of the drug without a prescription. And prescription drugs to treat the disorder of the apply of opioids – namely buprenorphin and methadone – save life also, said Dr. Colby.

Dr. Fiellin said that the Fentanyl test strips that determine whether another drug contains opioid are available without a prescription and can also play a role. But they are not reliable, added Dr. Freiermuth and are not legal in every state.

The best way to avoid overdose is never to apply fentanyl without a doctor’s instructions. “Each apply of fentanyl outside the prescription is potentially fatal,” said Dr. Pieriermuth.