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	Search Quick Order Form» Departments Vitamins Minerals Supplements Herbs Home & Grocery Diet & Fitness Body & Bath More Ways to Shop Brands A-Z Natural Remedies Children & Infants Women's Health Men's Health Seniors Newsletter Sign Up Weekly health news, sale announcements and coupons!		Library Home > Safetychecker by Drug Name > Fentanyl FENTANYL Introduction Safetychecker summary Vitamin interactions Food interactions References Fentanyl is used in surgery as a general anesthetic and is available in a patch form to treat severe, chronic pain. It is in a class of drugs known as opioid analgesics. Safetychecker Summary for Fentanyl (for details about the summarized interactions, read the full article) May be Beneficial: Supportive interaction—Taking these supplements may support or otherwise help your medication work better. Magnesium Avoid: Reduced drug absorption/bioavailability—Avoid these supplements when taking this medication since the supplement may decrease the absorption and/or activity of the medication in the body. Alcohol (chronic) Avoid: Adverse interaction—Avoid these supplements when taking this medication because taking them together may cause undesirable or dangerous results. Alcohol Depletion or interference None known Side effect reduction/prevention None known Interactions with Dietary Supplements Magnesium One double-blind study showed that giving magnesium intravenously before surgery dramatically reduced the amount of fentanyl needed to control pain during and after an operation.1 Further research is needed to determine whether people using fentanyl patches might benefit from supplementing with oral magnesium. Interactions with Foods and Other Compounds Alcohol Drinking alcoholic beverages while using fentanyl patches increases the likelihood of side effect, such as drowsiness, dizziness, and poor coordination.2 Therefore, people using fentanyl patches should avoid drinking alcohol, especially when they must stay alert. People who chronically consume alcohol require larger amounts of fentanyl to achieve adequate levels of anesthesia.3 Further research is needed to determine whether chronic alcohol consumption increases the amount of fentanyl needed to relieve pain. References: 1. Koinig H, Wallner T, Marhofer P, et al. Magnesium sulfate reduces intra- and postoperative analgesic requirements. Anesth Analg 1998;87:206–10. 2. Sifton DW, et. Physicians’ Desk Reference. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Company, Inc., 2000, 1445–8. 3. Tammisto T, Tigerstedt I. The need for fentanyl supplementation of N2O-O2 relaxant anesthesia in chronic alcoholics. Acta Anaesthesiol Scand 1997;21:216–21. Copyright © 2002 Healthnotes, Inc.  All rights reserved. www.healthnotes.com Please read the disclaimer about the limitations of the information provided here. Do NOT rely solely on the information in this article. Learn more about Healthnotes, the company. Learn more about the authors of Safetychecker. The information presented in Healthnotes is for informational purposes only. It is based on scientific studies (human, animal, or in vitro), clinical experience, or traditional usage as cited in each article. The results reported may not necessarily occur in all individuals. For many of the conditions discussed, treatment with prescription or over-the-counter medication is also available. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any supplements or before making any changes in prescribed medications. Information expires December 2003.

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