Fentanyl Lawyers Answer Frequently Asked Questions
Defective Duragesic pain patches and other brands of transdermal patches containing the drug fentanyl can cause serious injury and death. The pharmaceutical litigation attorneys of Tracey Law Firm offer answers to these frequently asked questions about fentanyl and its dangers.
What are the symptoms of fentanyl toxicity of fentanyl overdose?
Who is at risk of fentanyl toxicity?
What is fentanyl?
Fentanyl is an opioid analgesic — a powerful type of narcotic painkiller. It is one of the drugs used during anesthesia. It is also dispensed through a transdermal patch (an adhesive skin patch) to treat chronic pain. The drug is 80 times more potent than morphine.
What is fentanyl toxicity?
Fentanyl toxicity simply means there is too much fentanyl in the body. Fentanyl toxicity can occur by accidental overdose, intentional abuse or from an overdose due to a defective transdermal fentanyl pain patch.
What are the symptoms of fentanyl toxicity or fentanyl overdose?
An overdose of fentanyl or Duragesic pain patches can be fatal. Serious and life-threatening symptoms may include:
- Hypoventilation: slowing or stopping of breathing, very slow breathing, shallow breathing
- Cold or clammy skin
- Low blood pressure
- Pinpoint pupils of the eyes
- Slow or weak heartbeat
- Dizziness, faintness, nausea or fatigue
These symptoms of fentanyl toxicity vary from patient to patient depending on the dosage, size of the patient, other drugs or medicines the person has taken and other medical complications.
Who is at risk of fentanyl toxicity?
Serious injuries and death are a higher risk for the elderly or debilitated patients. Fentanyl overdoses increase when fentanyl or Duragesic are combined with other narcotics such as oxicodone, other strong painkillers and certain other medicines. Patients are not the only ones at risk. Caregivers who handle defective fentanyl patches may also be at risk.
How does the overdose occur?
Defects in the design and manufacturing of the patch can allow too much medication to be released. Some fentanyl patches use a reservoir design. A reservoir that holds the drug can break open and leak. Other patches use a "matrix" design that has no reservoir. Still, the drug can leak through the membrane and cause an overdose. There is no way to control the rate at which the drug is administered. Light, heat and other factors increase the rate of absorption into the bloodstream.
How quickly can it happen?
Very quickly. In one case, a patient was about to be released from the hospital when she suddenly felt dizzy, nauseated and fatigued. She lay down to rest and never woke up again.
How can a law firm help?
Tracey Law Firm will pursue financial compensation for those harmed by fentanyl because of the manufacturer's negligence. Our pharmaceutical litigation attorneys have obtained hundreds of millions of dollars in financial compensation for clients. We'd like to help you, too. There is no cost or obligation to discuss your case.
Contact Our Fentanyl and Duragesic Patch Attorneys
To arrange a free consultation about your case, please contact us by
e-mail or call toll free 877.301.5913. From offices in Houston, our fentanyl lawyers represent clients from Texas, the Gulf Coast and throughout the nation.
