Citation

Greene SL, Scamvougeras A, Norman A, Bonomo YA, Castle DJ. Australas. Psychiatry 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

St Vincent's Hospital, Australia.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1039856220917317

PMID

32392080

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: North American and other jurisdictions have seen an alarming rise in the abuse of the fentanyls, with related overdose deaths. We sought to review this group of drugs to alert Australian psychiatrists and drug and alcohol clinicians to their clinical effects and potential harms.

CONCLUSIONS: The extreme potency of the fentanyls underlie their lethality. Vigilance and investment from both policy makers and health care providers are required to mitigate harm from a possible future Australian fentanyl epidemic.

Language: en

Keywords

addiction; death; drug policy; fentanyl; overdose