Morphine Vs Fentanyl: Differences, Similarities and Symptoms

Morphine and Fentanyl are considered as the highly potent opioid painkillers. Both drugs can effectively reduce pain but hold high abuse potential. Morphine is mainly used in hospitals and clinical areas to give relief in post-surgical pain. Fentanyl may be prescribed for the treatment of chronic pain which include terminal cancer. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that fentanyl can be dangerous if misused. Most of the frequently asked questions for these medications are similarities and differences between morphine vs fentanyl. People also asked, Is fentanyl stronger than morphine? Fentanyl is known by its various brand names which are Actiq, Duragesic, Sublimaze, and Andlonsys.

In this blog, we discuss morphine and fentanyl which gives a good understanding about differences and similarities for these two opioids medications. This page helps you to find the solutions for your problem. We discuss which opioids are safer to use. According to your medical prescriptions, you can also find help at your nearby rehab centers.

What is Morphine?

Morphine is a powerful opioid painkiller which comes from opium poppy. These opioids are available in forms of tablets, injections and liquids. It carries the amount of addiction potential which is a controlled substance. Morphine is an essential medicine for palliative care, which access can be limited. These medications work as opioid receptors in the brain and spinal cord to stop pain signals. It also helps to reduce the perception of pain and produces drowsiness or euphoria. Morphine is used for medical purposes which are listed below.

Medical Uses of Morphine

• Control High Pain: For controlling unrelieved pain by other medications.
• Surgery: It helps in surgery like before, during, and after operations.
• Cardiology: It is used for pain in acute heart attacks like STEMI.
• Palliative Treatment: For managing moderate to high which includes cancer pain.
• Problem to Breath: Used to relieve high shortness of breath.

What is Fentanyl?

Fentanyl is a type of medication which is reserved for the most high potent synthetic opioid drug. It is approved by the food and drug administration for use as a pain relief and anesthetic. These medications are very strong because they are approximately 100 times more potent than morphine. According to other medications or drugs, fentanyl is 50 times more potent than heroin. This makes it extremely dangerous and effective for managing high pain, like advanced cancer patients. Let’s discuss his medical uses which are listed below.

Medical Uses of Fentanyl

Fentanyl is a versatile medication which is available in various forms such as injections, patches, lozenges and nasal sprays. In the medical field the prescribed fentanyl are.

• Management of high chronic pain: Fentanyl is prescribed for the long-term management of high and persistent chronic pain which releases the medication up to 48-72 hours.
• Distributed Cancer Pain: Its rapid onset fentanyl, such as lozenges, buccal tablets and nasal sprays are specially indicated to treat.
• Emergency Medicines: It can be effective in pain management options for acute, moderate to high pain in medical fields.
• For Anesthesia and Surgical Procedures: It is also used in surgical procedures in which an anesthetic agent can cause a loss of feeling or awareness.
• End of life care: Fentanyl can be used in care management to help in managing high cancer pain or to relieve dyspnea which means problem in breathing.

Difference Between Morphine And Fentanyl

Healthcare professionals continuously show interest in these opioids medications because of the narrow safety margin. We discuss morphine vs fentanyl differences with its adverse effect and respiratory depressions.

Adverse Effect	Morphine	Fentanyl
Respiratory Depression	Its effect is slower.	Its effect is rapid or fast.
Creation	Morphine derived from the opium poppy plant.	Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid lab made substance.
Overdose Risk	It is lower but still significant to potent.	The risk is extremely high due to potency, and it is 100 times stronger than morphine.
Constipation	Morphine is severe with chronic use.	Fentanyl is also severe with chronic use.
Nausea	It is common in both medications with an inclination to vomit.	It is the same for fentanyl and its effects are also similar to use.
Duration of effects	It acts for a long period of time which is approx 4 to 5 hours.	In fentanyl, it acts for a short time period which is approx 30 to 60 minutes.
Sedation	For morphine, it is moderate or gradual onset.	For fentanyl, it is intense or rapid onset.

Similarities Between Morphine and Fentanyl

When comparing these medications morphine vs fentanyl, it is necessary to understand that two substances are similar in numerous ways.

• Both opioids medications are used for prescription drugs.
• Highly addictive.
• Issue with nausea.
• Both substances are potent pain relievers that secure the brain opioid receptors.
• They both are capable of causing physical and behaviour withdrawal symptoms which makes them similar to use.
• Both are available in different forms like transdermal patches, or injections.

Overdose Symptoms of Morphine and Fentanyl

Due to high risk of dependence, the morphine and fentanyl carry both the drugs for overdose. When someone takes these opioids medications in large amounts, it is harmful and dangerous for their health. It can share the same physical and behavioural side effects by which the symptoms of a fentanyl overdose can be similar to morphine overdose. Symptoms which are listed below.

• Dizziness or clumsiness.
• Problem with nausea.
• It will decrease the heart rate.
• Itchiness.
• Feels distracted every time.
• It can cause problems in the unconscious mind.
• Problem in speaking.
• Can cause very high lethargy.
• Issue with pinpoint pupils.
• It causes problems in body parts like blue colored lips and fingernails.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we hope you understand the differences between morphine vs fentanyl easily. These are the opioids medication which are used to treat high pain. Morphine and fentanyl are almost similar, but not identical. As it is shown by comparing them with other drugs and opioid medications. We discuss morphine and fentanyl with its medical uses. In this page, you find the adverse effect along with respiratory depression which shows the differences between these two medications. Taking prescriptions for these medications, you can go ahead with their similarities which derives the common effects and problems.