Dilaudid vs. Fentanyl

• Are Dilaudid and Fentanyl the Same Thing?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Dilaudid?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Fentanyl?
• What is Dilaudid?
• What is Fentanyl?
• What Drugs Interact with Dilaudid?
• What Drugs Interact with Fentanyl?
• How Should Dilaudid Be Taken?
• How Should Fentanyl Be Taken?

Fentanyl and Dilaudid (hydromorphone hydrochloride) are opioid analgesics used for control of moderate to severe pain.

Fentanyl is often used for the management of breakthrough pain in cancer patients 18 years of age and older who are already receiving and who are tolerant to around-the-clock opioid therapy for their underlying persistent cancer pain.

Brand names of fentanyl include Duragesic, Subsys, and Abstral.

Common side effects of Dilaudid include:

• flushing (warmth,
• redness, or tingling of skin),
• itching,
• sweating,
• nausea,
• vomiting,
• constipation,
• diarrhea,
• stomach pain,
• dizziness,
• drowsiness,
• blurred vision,
• double vision,
• headache,
• sleep problems (insomnia),
• strange dreams, and
• dry mouth.

Serious side effects of Dilaudid include

• shallow, weak, or very slow breathing,
• trouble breathing,
• slow heart rate,
• confusion,
• lightheadedness or fainting,
• seizures (convulsions),
• cold clammy skin,
• pounding heartbeats or fluttering in your chest,
• wheezing,
• confusion,
• severe weakness or drowsiness,
• mental/mood changes (such as agitations, confusion, hallucinations),
• severe stomach or abdominal pain,
• difficulty urinating, or
• death.

After a few weeks of use, patients may develop both tolerance and physical dependence on Dilaudid and may need to be slowly weaned off the drug to avoid withdrawal symptoms.

Common side effects of Fentanyl include:

• nausea
• vomiting
• drowsiness
• dizziness
• vertigo
• insomnia
• constipation
• increased sweating
• fatigue
• feeling cold
• weight loss
• headache
• diarrhea
• palpitations
• ear problems
• abdominal pain
• dry mouth
• feeling unwell (malaise)
• weakness
• swelling of the extremities
• muscle spasms
• depression
• itching, and
• rash

Dilaudid (hydromorphone hydrochloride) and Dilaudid Injection (also termed Dilaudid HP) are the tablet, liquid and IV forms of an opioid analgesic used for control of moderate to severe pain.

Fentanyl is an opioid analgesic indicated for the management of pain in opioid-tolerant patients, severe enough to require daily, around-the-clock, long-term opioid treatment and for which alternative treatment options are inadequate. Fentanyl is available in generic form.

Dilaudid may interact with alcohol, other narcotic pain medications, benzodiazepines and other sedatives/hypnotics, tranquilizers, muscle relaxers, other medicines that can make you sleepy or slow your breathing, buprenorphrine, nalbuphine, and pentazocine.

Dilaudid may also interact with butorphanol, atropine, belladonna, benztropine, dimenhydrinate, methscopolamine, scopolamine, bladder or urinary medicines, bronchodilators, irritable bowel medicines, or ulcer medications.

Withdrawal symptoms may occur if you suddenly stop taking or Dilaudid.

Fentanyl may interact with alcohol, other narcotic pain medications, benzodiazepines and other sedatives/hypnotics, tranquilizers, muscle relaxers, other medicines that can make you sleepy or slow your breathing, buprenorphrine, nalbuphine, and pentazocine.

Fentanyl may also interact with macrolide antibiotics, azole-antifungals, protease inhibitors, grapefruit juice, rifampin, carbamazepine, phenytoin, anxiolytics, general anesthetics, antipsychotics, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), triptans, 5-HT3 receptor antagonists, drugs that affect the serotonin neurotransmitter system, monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors, mutorphanol, diuretics, and anticholinergics.

Dilaudid may also interact with butorphanol, atropine, belladonna, benztropine, dimenhydrinate, methscopolamine, scopolamine, bladder or urinary medicines, bronchodilators, irritable bowel medicines, or ulcer medications.

Withdrawal symptoms may occur if you suddenly stop taking fentanyl or Dilaudid.

Use the lowest effective dosage for the shortest duration consistent with individual patient treatment goals. Initiate the dosing regimen for each patient individually, taking into account the patient's severity of pain, patient response, prior analgesic treatment experience, and risk factors for addiction, abuse, and misuse. Monitor patients closely for respiratory depression, especially within the first 24-72 hours of initiating therapy and following dosage increases with Dilaudid Injection or Dilaudid-HP Injection and adjust the dosage accordingly.

Use of opioids including Dilaudid and Fentanyl can easily lead to dependency. Withdrawal symptoms may occur if you suddenly stop taking these medications.

The dose of Fentanyl is individualized for each patient, depending on the patient's medical condition and other factors.