Fentanyl Overdose Signs and Treatment

Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid that may be prescribed to treat severe pain in very specific cases but is also manufactured and sold illegally.¹ Illegal fentanyl is currently the most common drug involved in overdose deaths in the United States.^1,2

This article will look at fentanyl overdose, addiction, and treatment options.

Fentanyl Overdose

Fentanyl is approximately 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine, making it lethal in very small amounts.¹

Fentanyl overdose usually occurs when someone:³

• Engages in illicit drug use.
• Misuses prescription fentanyl. This can mean taking someone else’s prescription, using fentanyl to get high, or using it in doses or other ways than prescribed (e.g., crushing and snorting pills, smoking fentanyl, or dissolving pills in liquid and injecting them).⁴
• Takes prescription or illicit fentanyl with alcohol, medications, or illicit drugs. Concurrent use of opioids with central nervous system (CNS) depressants like benzodiazepines or alcohol is especially dangerous.⁵
• Accidentally takes too much of their prescription fentanyl.

Some dealers sell other drugs mixed with fentanyl without the buyer’s knowledge, which greatly increases the likelihood of fatal overdose.¹

Signs of Fentanyl Overdose

Recognizing the signs of fentanyl overdose and acting quickly may help save someone’s life.³ Signs of opioid overdose include:³

• An extremely pale face that may be clammy to the touch.
• Body going limp.
• Purple or blue fingernails or lips.
• Vomiting or making gurgling noises
• Inability to wake up or speak.
• Slowed or stopped heartbeat.

Death or serious injury from overdose usually happens due to slowed respiration causing a decrease of oxygen in the brain (hypoxia).¹ Hypoxia can lead to coma, permanent brain damage, or even death.¹

Fentanyl overdose requires immediate medical treatment.¹

How to Respond to a Fentanyl Overdose

If you suspect that someone you know is experiencing fentanyl overdose:³

1. Call 911 immediately and follow the operator’s instructions.
2. If available, administer Narcan (naloxone). If the person does not respond within 2 or 3 minutes, administer a second dose.
3. Take action to support the patient’s breathing (make sure their airway is clear, perform rescue breathing and chest compressions).
4. Stay with the person and monitor them until emergency services arrive.³

Someone can overdose on opioids like fentanyl even if they are not addicted. However, suffering from fentanyl addiction increases the cumulative risk of overdose through repeated use of the drug.

Fentanyl Addiction

Like many other opioids, fentanyl is considered highly addictive.¹

Opioid addiction—or opioid use disorder (OUD)—is defined by The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual on Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (or DSM-5) as the compulsive use of opioids despite it causing clinically significant impairment in someone’s life.⁷

There are many reasons why it is difficult for people to quit fentanyl once they’ve become addicted.

For one, use of fentanyl increases dopamine activity, which is a brain chemical involved in motivation. Researchers believe that this action reinforces compulsive drug use. In addition, chronic drug use can alter parts of the brain involved in judgment, decision-making, behavior control, and more.⁸

Chronic fentanyl use also causes physiological dependency, meaning someone who quits will likely experience withdrawal symptoms when they try to quit or reduce their intake. While rarely life-threatening on its own, opioid withdrawal is often uncomfortable enough to cause someone to relapse.¹

Opioid withdrawal symptoms include:⁹

• Insomnia.
• Anxiety.
• Muscle spasms.
• Abdominal cramps.
• Bone and muscle pain.
• Diarrhea.
• Nausea.
• Vomiting.

Fortunately, both fentanyl withdrawal and opioid addiction can be treated effectively.^9,10

Fentanyl Addiction Treatment in Miami, Fla.

There are several evidence-based interventions for fentanyl addiction, including withdrawal management, behavioral therapy, medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), and peer support.¹⁰ Recovery First Treatment Center is a rehab facility near Miami that provides these treatments through the following levels of care:

• Medical detox.
• Residential treatment.
• Partial hospitalization program (PHP).
• Intensive outpatient program (IOP).
• Aftercare planning.

Please call to speak with an admissions navigator to start the treatment admissions process, learn how to use insurance to pay for rehab, or explore other payment options. You can also verify your insurance coverage using the confidential .