Fentanyl - Effects on the Body

Effects on the Body

The human body produces its own pleasure-enhancing neurotransmittersA substance that helps spread nerve impulses from one nerve cell to another. called endorphinsA group of naturally occurring substances in the body that relieve pain and promote a sense of well-being.. The brain releases endorphins during times of happiness or peaceful meditation, during strenuous exercise, and also during trauma to help the body deal with stress and pain. Receptors in the brain receive the endorphins, enhancing pleasure and suppressing pain.

Opioids target the same receptors that take in endorphins. A shot of fentanyl acts quickly to produce an intense feeling of euphoria and relaxation. In the New Statesman, Victoria Moore recalled her dose of fentanyl just prior to kidney surgery. "The effect is virtually instantaneous. I feel wonderful. I float. The room quivers and moves in slices about me, and yet I do not feel dizzy. All doubts and cowardly misgivings are washed clean away…. Bring on the knives, I don't mind anymore. That's the last thing I remember."

The main brain receptor affected by opioids is the mu receptor. In addition to promoting euphoria, the mu receptor regulates pain and breathing. When fentanyl is received by the mu receptor, pain disappears—but the user may also experience a reduction in breathing. Sometimes the user just stops breathing and suffocates within three minutes of taking the drug.

Tragedy in Moscow

On October 23, 2002, terrorists from Chechnya broke into a crowded theater in Moscow, Russia, and took all 700 theater-goers (men, women, and children) hostage. A tense drama unfolded as Chechen rebels began shooting hostages and making demands. On October 26, the Russian government ended the terrorist siege by pumping gas into the theater. The gas put everyone inside into a stupor, a state of unconsciousness. Russian soldiers stormed the building and rescued the surviving hostages.

However, 117 people died from the effects of the gas. Many others had to be hospitalized. Several days later, under pressure from the international community, the Russian government issued a statement about the gas used in the attack. The active ingredient was fentanyl. Those who died from the gas succumbed to one of fentanyl's common side effects: They were unable to breathe.

Anesthesiologists who administer fentanyl during surgery are equipped with technology to save patients who stop breathing. This technology includes machines that measure heart rate and pulse, breathing tubes and oxygen, and an antagonistPronounced ann-TAG-uh-nist; a drug that opposes the action of another drug. called Narcan that clears fentanyl from the brain.

Fentanyl's side effects closely resemble morphine's. Habitual users can suffer from abdominal pain and constipation, indigestion, nausea, drowsiness and dizziness, vomiting, and difficulty with urination. The drug causes the pupils in the eyes to become very small. This "pinpoint pupil" side effect can help emergency room doctors detect fentanyl abuse.

A toxicologist with the San Diego County Medical Examiners Office, Kristin Rossum was convicted of murdering her husband. Large amounts of fentanyl were found in the body of the deceased man. Prosecutors claimed Rossum stole the fentanyl from t
A toxicologist with the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office, Kristin Rossum was convicted of murdering her husband. Large amounts of fentanyl were found in the body of the deceased man. Prosecutors claimed Rossum stole the fentanyl from the office. AP/Wide World Photos.