For educational use only. MedTime is not medical advice. Consult a licensed clinician or pharmacist before making medication decisions.

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Pain Relief
Transdermal

Fentanyl Patch

Opioid agonist

Also sold as Duragesic

Onset of effect
12 hr – 1 day
Felt/clinical effect
Tmax (peak blood level)
1 day – 3 days
Pharmacokinetic peak
Duration of effect
3 days
Per single dose

Effect timeline

Approximate single-dose timeline. Onset shows when effects are felt; Tmax shows when blood levels peak.

1 day2 days
Onset of effectTmax (peak blood level)Wears off

Notes

For opioid-tolerant patients only.

What this is

Fentanyl Patch is a opioid agonist given by the transdermal route. It's typically used in the pain relief category.

What the numbers mean

After one transdermal dose you'd typically start noticing the effect in 12 hr – 1 day. The drug reaches its highest blood level in about 1 day – 3 days, and a single dose usually keeps working for around 3 days.

Practical tips

Rotate application sites and remove the old patch before applying a new one. Long-acting — take at roughly the same time each day for steady levels.

Important

Don't combine with other products in the same drug class without checking with a pharmacist. Stop and seek medical advice if you have an unexpected reaction, severe side effect, or symptoms that don't improve.

All timings are approximate population ranges for a typical adult dose. Individual response varies with age, genetics, formulation, food, and other medications.

Typical dosing

Source: OpenFDA drug label · adult dosing unless noted

Doses vary by age, weight, kidney/liver function, and indication. Don't change your dose without talking to your prescriber.

Verify on the exact label used:DailyMed search·OpenFDA record

Side effects & warnings

Source: OpenFDA drug label

Verify on the exact label used:DailyMed search·OpenFDA record

Educational information only — not medical advice. Times vary by person, dose, and formulation. Always consult a doctor or pharmacist for personal guidance.