Fentanyl patches are a type of medicated, self-adhesive patch worn on the skin and available only with a prescription from a physician. Known as opioid analgesic, doctors prescribe the fentanyl patch for the relief of moderate to severe pain.

Function

When applied to your skin, the medicine in the fentanyl patch becomes absorbed and enters your bloodstream, where it binds to special sites known as receptors on your brain and spinal cord. With these receptors blocked, your nerves are unable to transmit pain signals or messages to your brain.

Uses

Doctors only prescribe fentanyl patches for patients already receiving oral opioid pain relievers, but who are not receiving adequate pain relief. Additionally, the fetanyl patch is only for individuals who require around the clock pain relief, explains the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Time Frame

One fentanyl patch remains effective for approximately 72 hours, reports the Mayo Clinic. Because the drug is released slowly into your bloodstream, fentanyl patches often require 24 hours of use before being effective when you first begin treatment.

Risks

The most common side effects of fentanyl patches include nausea, vomiting, constipation, dry mouth, drowsiness, weakness, confusion and sweating. Fentanyl patches pose a risk for chemical dependence or addiction as well as a life-threatening condition where your brain is unable to regulate your breathing, known as respiratory depression, warns the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Considerations

The fentanyl patch is not approved for use in children under the age of two, and doctors rarely prescribe the drug for use in pregnant women. If you have a history of substance abuse, depression, hypothyroidism, brain tumors, an enlarged prostate, head injury, heart disease, Crohn's disease, pancreatitis, lung disease or trouble breathing, kidney or liver disease or intestinal blockage, it may not be safe for you to use the fentanyl patch, warns the Mayo Clinic.

Source:

U.S. National Library of Medicine Daily Med: DURAGESIC (fentanyl) patch

Mayo Clinic: Fentanyl (Transdermal Route)