A fentanyl transdermal patch can be abused in many ways. A person who misjudges the exposure can develop a life threatening overdose.
Ways of abusing a fentanyl transdermal patch:
(1) licking the inside of an opened transdermal patch
(2) chewing on an opened transdermal patch
(3) placing multiple patches over different sites simultaneously
(4) rectal insertion
(5) inhalation of vapor released from an opened patch heated on aluminum foil
(6) intravenous injection of extracted drug
(7) placing a heating pad over a patch placed on the skin
Heating the fentanyl for inhalation results in pyrolytic byproducts that can be toxic and that can be measured.
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Specialty: Toxicology, Emergency Medicine, Critical Care
ICD-10: ,
