In this article we will explore the impact of Alfentanil on different aspects of everyday life. From its influence on popular culture to its relevance in history, Alfentanil has left its mark in various areas. We will analyze how Alfentanil has shaped the way we relate to the world around us, as well as its role in the evolution of society. Through a detailed analysis, we will seek to better understand the importance of Alfentanil and how it has marked a before and after in our perception of reality. This article aims to offer a broad and diverse view on Alfentanil, addressing different perspectives and possible implications for the future.
Clinical data | |
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Trade names | Alfenta, Rapifen, others |
AHFS/Drugs.com | Micromedex Detailed Consumer Information |
MedlinePlus | a601130 |
Routes of administration | Intravenous, subcutaneous |
Drug class | Opioid |
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Pharmacokinetic data | |
Bioavailability | ~50% |
Protein binding | 92% |
Metabolism | Hepatic |
Elimination half-life | 90–111 minutes |
Duration of action | 15 minutes[2] |
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ECHA InfoCard | 100.295.336 |
Chemical and physical data | |
Formula | C21H32N6O3 |
Molar mass | 416.526 g·mol−1 |
3D model (JSmol) | |
Melting point | 140.8 °C (285.4 °F) |
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Alfentanil (R-39209), sold under the brand name Alfenta among others, is a potent but short-acting synthetic opioid analgesic drug used for anesthesia in surgery. It is an analogue of fentanyl with around one-fourth to one-tenth the potency, one-third the duration of action, and an onset of action four times faster than that of fentanyl.[3] Alfentanil has a pKa of approximately 6.5, which leads to a very high proportion of the drug being uncharged at physiologic pH, a characteristic responsible for its rapid-onset. It is an agonist of the μ-opioid receptor.
While alfentanil tends to cause fewer cardiovascular complications than other similar drugs such as fentanyl and remifentanil, it tends to give stronger respiratory depression and so requires careful monitoring of breathing and vital signs. Almost exclusively used by anesthesia providers during portions of a case where quick, fast-acting (though not long-lasting) pain control is needed (as, for example, during nerve blocks), alfentanil is administered by the parenteral (injected) route for fast-onset and precise control of dosage.
Discovered at Janssen Pharmaceutica in 1976, alfentanil is classified as a Schedule II drug in the United States.[4]
Side effects of fentanyl analogs are similar to those of fentanyl itself and include itching, nausea and potentially life-threatening respiratory depression. Fentanyl analogs have killed hundreds of people throughout Europe and the former Soviet republics since the most recent resurgence in use began in Estonia in the early 2000s, and novel derivatives continue to appear.[5]