Update on synthetic opioids: Nitazenes

Aug. 27, 2024

Nitazenes have reemerged and are now sometimes combined with other drugs such as xylazine and fentanyl. Join us in Medical History Mysteries to learn more about these illicit drugs and how they can impact dental treatment.

Pamela Maragliano-Muniz, DMD

Tom Viola, RPh, CCP

You may think you’ve heard everything there is to know about opioids but think again. Some of the synthetic opioids from the 1960s and 1970s have come back to haunt us—nitazenes. These illicit drugs are being redeveloped and sometimes combined with other opioids, such as xylazine and fentanyl, so that they are as strong or stronger than heroin.

These easily made and distributed drugs can cause respiratory depression, so it is critical to know what drugs your patients are taking before you provide dental care. Join us in this episode of Medical History Mysteries to learn more about how these drugs can affect dental treatment.

Thumbnail background image credit: DEA, Public Domain Mark 1.0 Universal

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Editor’s note: This article first appeared in Clinical Insights newsletter, a publication of the Endeavor Business Media Dental Group. Read more articles and subscribe.

About the Author

Pamela Maragliano-Muniz, DMD

Pamela Maragliano-Muniz, DMD, is the chief editor of DentistryIQ and editorial co-director of Through the Loupes. Based in Salem, Massachusetts, Dr. Maragliano-Muniz began her clinical career as a dental hygienist. She went on to attend Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, where she earned her doctorate in dental medicine. She then attended the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Dental Medicine, where she became board-certified in prosthodontics. Dr. Maragliano-Muniz owns a private practice, Salem Dental Arts, and lectures on a variety of clinical topics. You may contact her at [email protected].

About the Author

Tom Viola, RPh, CCP

With more than 30 years’ experience as a board-certified pharmacist, clinical educator, professional speaker, and published author, Tom Viola, RPh, CCP, has earned the reputation as the go-to specialist for making pharmacology practical and useful for dental teams. He is the founder of Pharmacology Declassified and is a member of the faculty of more than 10 dental professional degree programs. Viola has contributed to several professional journals and pharmacology textbooks, and currently serves as a consultant to the American Dental Association’s Council on Scientific Affairs.