How Does the Duragesic Fentanyl Patch Work?
The dangers of fentanyl are well-known these days, and the potent opioid continues to be involved in many of the drug overdose deaths in the United States each year. In addition to its common forms as a prescribed pill or an illicit powdery substance, this drug can be found in a Duragesic fentanyl patch that instead delivers the medication through the skin. So, how does this patch work, and can it lead to misuse and the same kinds of problems that might be noticed in the symptoms of addiction to pain pills?
Table of contents
» What Is a Duragesic Fentanyl Patch?
» How Does the Duragesic Fentanyl Patch Deliver Pain Medication Into the Body?
» What Are the Risks of Misusing the Duragesic Fentanyl Patch?
» What Are the Signs of an Overdose When Using the Duragesic Fentanyl Patch?
» Key Takeaways on Duragesic Fentanyl Patch
» Resources
What Is a Duragesic Fentanyl Patch?
A Duragesic fentanyl patch is a brand-name transdermal patch that contains a measured amount of fentanyl. Most often, patients are told to apply a new patch to the skin once every 72 hours, with the medication slowly being absorbed through the skin throughout those three days.
Patients can put the patch on hairless and flat skin on their chest, back, upper arms, or sides of the waist, and they’ll get the painkiller delivered to them over time for the next several days. Most often, a fentanyl patch will be prescribed to someone with severe, chronic pain who is tolerant to opioid painkillers already and will need to take pain medication for a long time.
Fentanyl patches can cause many different side effects, including:
- Headaches or back pain
- Mood changes or depression
- Feeling cold or drowsy
- Sleep problems (struggling to fall or stay asleep)
- Tingling or numbness in the feet and hands
- Stomach pain and upset stomach
- Dry mouth
- Itching or skin irritation
In addition, fentanyl patches can sometimes cause severe side effects that need medical attention, including:
- Rapid, slow, or irregular heartbeat
- Nausea and vomiting
- Chest pain
- Seizures
- Rash, hives, and difficulty breathing or swallowing
- Hallucinations, confusion, and agitation
- Diarrhea
- Fever
- Swelling of the limbs
How Does the Duragesic Fentanyl Patch Deliver Pain Medication Into the Body?
If you’re wondering about things like how long does fentanyl stay in your system, one of the critical details to keep in mind about fentanyl patches is that they are designed to deliver this opioid over the course of several days, continuously providing the pain-relieving effects of the drug without the need to take pills or get shots frequently.
But how does it work? A measured amount of fentanyl is inside each patch, which carefully controls the slow release of the lipid-soluble drug over time through the top layer of skin. There, it builds up a reserve of the drug in the outer skin, and the medication then will diffuse into the skin’s deeper layer and be absorbed by blood vessels to distribute throughout the body.
Because it works by first building up a reservoir in the top layer of the skin and then slowly absorbing deeper to be absorbed by blood vessels, ultimately, it can take several hours and even an entire day before the medication will build up enough to start to take effect. Once a patient is on the patch, they’ll take off the patch and replace it with a new one on a different spot on the skin once every 72 hours to keep the dosage consistent.
The patch itself usually consists of a gel-like substance that contains the fentanyl and sticks to the skin with an adhesive layer, while the outside backing is made of a substance that is impermeable to the drug. Think of it like wearing a sticker on your arm, with the medication coming out of the sticky part against your skin, but not leaking through the outer layer of the sticker.
Several things can speed up the rate of absorption, including excessive heat from heating blankets or pads, or even a high body temperature from a fever. Even if the patch is removed, it can take several hours until the fentanyl that is still in the skin will be fully absorbed, meaning the side effects and pain-killing properties of the drug will continue hours after the patch is gone.
What Are the Risks of Misusing the Duragesic Fentanyl Patch?
A Duragesic fentanyl patch is only available by prescription, and it’s intended to provide continuous pain relief to those suffering from severe, constant pain who don’t respond well to treating the pain on an as-needed basis (such as taking a pill when in pain). Instead of managing breakthrough pain like this, it’s meant to be in the person’s system round-the-clock and continue helping them day and night.
However, they can be incredibly dangerous if misused or incorrectly used, such as wearing multiple patches, cutting or altering the patches to try to speed up delivery, or putting on someone else’s patch when you’re not used to fentanyl in your system. A December 2020 report looked at 29 previous publications about fentanyl patches, finding 658 deaths associated with use of transdermal fentanyl patches. Of those, more than 60 percent of deaths were due to drug abuse, while 13.3 percent were unrelated to fentanyl. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration has sounded the alarm over accidental exposures to fentanyl patches, especially in young children, with kids sometimes overdosing on new or even used patches if they stick them on their skin or put them in their mouths.
Using this patch with other drugs, such as alcohol, antidepressants, and benzodiazepines, could also put users at risk of serious interactions, amplified side effects, and even death. If someone has started misusing fentanyl patches, they must get professional help as soon as possible, whether it’s an inpatient drug rehab program or a day-and-night addiction treatment in Florida, before they overdose or suffer more problems.
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What Are the Signs of an Overdose When Using the Duragesic Fentanyl Patch?
The signs of an overdose when using a Duragesic fentanyl patch can be similar to other ways of using fentanyl, including:
- Slow or shallow breathing
- Stopped breathing
- Odd snoring or gurgling sounds can be someone struggling to breathe
- Cold or clammy skin
- Discolored skin, lips, fingernails, or face due to a lack of oxygen
- Slow or weak pulse or heartbeat
- Extreme sleepiness
- Becoming unresponsive, even if shaken or shouted at
- Losing consciousness
- Vomiting
- Seizures
If you suspect someone is overdosing on fentanyl, it’s critical to call 911 immediately and administer naloxone if available as soon as possible to reverse the overdose.
Key Takeaways on Duragesic Fentanyl Patch
- The Duragesic fentanyl patch is a brand-named transdermal patch that delivers this opioid through the skin.
- Patients are only prescribed this patch if they have severe, chronic pain that needs round-the-clock opioids to manage.
- Like other opioids, fentanyl patches carry a risk of misuse and addiction.
- These patches can cause serious problems and even death if intentionally misused or in cases of accidental exposure.
- Fentanyl patch overdoses require immediate medical attention.
If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction to fentanyl, including the fentanyl patch, there’s no time to wait; you need help as soon as possible before it’s too late. At WhiteSands Alcohol and Drug Treatment, we know how to help people from all walks of life break the chains of addiction and move past the hurdle of opioid misuse and dependence. Call us at 877-855-3470 to get started today.
Resources
- Medline Plus – Fentanyl Transdermal Patch
- Mayo Clinic – Fentanyl (Transdermal Route)
- ScienceDirect – Fentanyl Transdermal Patch: The Silent New Killer?
- U.S. Food & Drug Administration – Accidental Exposures to Fentanyl Patches Continue to Be Deadly to Children
If you or a loved one needs help with abuse and/or treatment, please call the WhiteSands Treatment at (877) 855-3470. Our addiction specialists can assess your recovery needs and help you get the addiction treatment that provides the best chance for your long-term recovery.
About the Author
Jackie has been involved in the substance abuse and addiction treatment sector for over five years and this is something that she is truly eager about. She has a passion for writing and continuously works to create informative pieces that not only educate and inform the public about the disease of addiction but also provide solutions for those who struggle with drug and alcohol abuse.
