Fentanyl has been FDA approval as an analgesic since 1968 and multiple different fentanyl preparations have been developed over the years. Little was known about it is clinical utility defined by risks and benefits until recently. Present commercially available preparations are easily tampered and nonpharmacologic fentanyl has become the major cause of opioid deaths in the United States. This state-ofthe-art review will discuss fentanyl pharmacology, utility, safety and abuse.
Keywords: Fentanyl; respiratory depression; substance abuse; utility; wooden chest syndrome.