Clipping Board » Drug Poisoning ─ It is necessary to be aware of the toxic side effects before taking medication.
【2006/06/15 United Evening News】 【Reporter Wei Liwen/Taipei Report】
After the famous model Lin Chi-ling fell off a horse and used fentanyl patches for pain relief, fentanyl patches gained significant attention. Fentanyl patches are primarily used for pain relief in terminal cancer patients, and there have been frequent reports of fatal cases due to misuse abroad. The Controlled Drugs Administration of the Department of Health pointed out that at least 400,000 patches are used domestically each year, urging patients to use them with caution.
Fentanyl patches are a type of slow-release painkiller absorbed through the skin, with pain-relieving effects 80 to 100 times stronger than morphine. It is an excellent painkiller but can cause respiratory depression as a side effect, making it more dangerous than morphine. Overdose can lead to death.
Fentanyl patches are a controlled drug and not the common pain relief patches found on the market. Qin Fushou, the factory director of the Controlled Drugs Administration's pharmaceutical factory, said that terminal cancer patients in severe pain need to inject painkillers every four hours. To improve their quality of life, some switch to fentanyl patches that last for 72 hours. Last year, approximately 420,000 fentanyl patches were used domestically, a 2.08-fold increase since 2000.
There have been at least 120 reported fatal cases due to fentanyl patch misuse abroad. Common errors include patients applying two patches at once when they initially feel no pain relief, not removing old patches before applying new ones, patches falling off during sleep and being transferred to children, and using heat packs over patches leading to fatal overdoses.
Domestic controls are very strict; patients must return old patches to receive new ones, so there have been no reports of fatal misuse. The Controlled Drugs Administration advises that symptoms like difficulty breathing, drowsiness, slowed breathing, and dizziness may indicate poisoning, and immediate medical attention is necessary.
Source: http://udn. com/ NEWS/ LIFE/ LIF2/ 3359136. shtml
Pain Patch Linked to 120 Fatalities Abroad
After the famous model Lin Chi-ling fell off a horse and used fentanyl patches for pain relief, fentanyl patches gained significant attention. Fentanyl patches are primarily used for pain relief in terminal cancer patients, and there have been frequent reports of fatal cases due to misuse abroad. The Controlled Drugs Administration of the Department of Health pointed out that at least 400,000 patches are used domestically each year, urging patients to use them with caution.
Fentanyl patches are a type of slow-release painkiller absorbed through the skin, with pain-relieving effects 80 to 100 times stronger than morphine. It is an excellent painkiller but can cause respiratory depression as a side effect, making it more dangerous than morphine. Overdose can lead to death.
Fentanyl patches are a controlled drug and not the common pain relief patches found on the market. Qin Fushou, the factory director of the Controlled Drugs Administration's pharmaceutical factory, said that terminal cancer patients in severe pain need to inject painkillers every four hours. To improve their quality of life, some switch to fentanyl patches that last for 72 hours. Last year, approximately 420,000 fentanyl patches were used domestically, a 2.08-fold increase since 2000.
There have been at least 120 reported fatal cases due to fentanyl patch misuse abroad. Common errors include patients applying two patches at once when they initially feel no pain relief, not removing old patches before applying new ones, patches falling off during sleep and being transferred to children, and using heat packs over patches leading to fatal overdoses.
Domestic controls are very strict; patients must return old patches to receive new ones, so there have been no reports of fatal misuse. The Controlled Drugs Administration advises that symptoms like difficulty breathing, drowsiness, slowed breathing, and dizziness may indicate poisoning, and immediate medical attention is necessary.
Source: http://udn. com/ NEWS/ LIFE/ LIF2/ 3359136. shtml