If You Or A Loved One Was Prescribed Fentanyl You Might Have A Medical Malpractice Suit

In recent years Fentanyl has made the news more regularly due to the amount of deaths and illnesses related to this potent drug. It has become widely popular on the streets but its effects can be deadly very quickly. In fact, it only takes touching it in small does for some people to potentially lose their life. If your doctor has prescribed Fentanyl to you or to a loved one for a legitimate reason, you might still have a case for a medical malpractice suit.

What is Fentanyl?

Fentanyl is a narcotic drug that was created to treat serious pain and its makeup is similar to morphine. The drug, however, is 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine and has been used to treat chronic pain in some patients when morphine hasn't worked. It is administered to the patient using either a patch, pill, lozenge or injection.

For some patients, they have been prescribed this powerful medication without the doctor giving due diligence in their ability to handle stronger drugs or past addictions and they are either becoming dependent and dying, or dying because their body can't handle the strength as a result.

What Does Fentanyl Do to the Body?

Fentanyl in some patients can slow down their system very fast causing them to become weak. The person's heartbeat decreases a lot and it's possible for them to experience dizziness, weakness in their muscles, confusion, extreme drowsiness and they also might feel faint and lose consciousness. A person could experience low blood pressure and intentionally stop breathing.

Not An Approved Drug For After Surgery

Fentanyl carries such a significant risk to patients that the National Food and Drug Administration or FDA has not approved its use for treating postoperative pain in patients. These patients are too vulnerable and not strong enough to deal with the potent effects of this painkiller.

It is also not approved for short-term use, yet many doctors will prescribe the drug for use when a patient has broken an arm or leg, or for issues such as acid reflux developed after surgery. It is possible for a patient to overdose on this medication and die when the drug is used in this manner.

There are patients who have a natural tolerance to opioid drugs that have been prescribed Fentanyl whom should not have been. It is too easy for these patients to not realize they have taken too much of the medication and potentially die as a result.

The FDA states that only patients who have been taking a certain dose level of morphine should be prescribed Fentanyl as a painkiller. The patient must have a certain level of tolerance, and not higher or lower, for opioids before prescribing any opioid medication. For more information, contact establishments like Otorowski Johnston Morrow & Golden P.L.L.C.