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The Prevalence of Fentanyl in Drug-Related Deaths in Philadelphia 2004-2006
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

The Prevalence of Fentanyl in Drug-Related Deaths in Philadelphia 2004-2006

Stella C. Wong, Lisa Mundy, Rebecca Drake, John A. Curtis and William E. Wingert
Journal of medical toxicology, v 6(1), pp 9-11
01 Mar 2010
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13181-010-0031-8
PMID: 20300984
Featured in Collection :   UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
url
https://doi.org/10.1007/s13181-010-0031-8View
Published, Version of Record (VoR)Maybe Open Access (Publisher Bronze),  Open

Abstract

Life Sciences & Biomedicine Science & Technology Toxicology
Fentanyl is an increasingly common drug of abuse. The Philadelphia Medical Examiner's Office reported 252 drug-related deaths in Philadelphia that tested positive for fentanyl during the year 2006 in comparison to 22 and 19 in 2005 and 2004, respectively. We reviewed the data from 2004 to 2006 from the Philadelphia Medical Examiner's office. Key words such as fentanyl, drug, cocaine, ethanol, medic (medication), tox (intoxication), or poison were used as search words. In comparison to 2004 and 2005 data, there was a statistically significant increase in number of drug-related deaths (DRDs) and the percentage of DRDs that tested positive for fentanyl in 2006. We postulate that the increase in DRDs in 2006 may be related to increase use or abuse of fentanyl, lack of general public awareness that fentanyl is a potent opioid, inadequate dose of nalaxone and/or the surge of clandestinely manufactured fentanyl.

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17 Record Views
3 citations in Web of Science
3 citations in Scopus

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#3 Good Health and Well-Being

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Toxicology
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