Improper prescribing and use of fentanyl transdermal patches can have serious consequences, so the Institute for Safe Medication Practices has released recommendations for providers who prescribe the patches.
The recommendations—which were published in the September 2008 issue of the FDA’s “Patient Safety News”—include:
- Prescribe the patches only for patients who are opioid tolerant and who have chronic pain that is not controlled with shorter acting analgesics
- Know the signs of overdose
- Tell patients to avoid heating pads, electric blankets, or hot baths while the patch is in place
- Make sure patients do not develop a temperature above 102 degrees
- Tell patients to remove the old patch before applying a new one
- Tell patients to dispose of patches by folding them in half and flushing them down the toilet