NAPLEX (North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination) Practice Exam

Fentanyl patches are a potent opioid medication used for severe pain management. One major warning associated with Fentanyl patches is the need to exercise caution when using them with strong or moderate CYP3A4 inhibitors. These inhibitors can increase the levels of Fentanyl in the body, leading to potentially dangerous side effects such as respiratory depression and overdose. Therefore, it is crucial to be aware of this drug-drug interaction and adjust Fentanyl dosage accordingly when co-administered with these inhibitors.

Options A, C, and D are not the major warning associated with Fentanyl patches. Opioid-naive patients can be started on Fentanyl patches with appropriate dose adjustments, application site redness/erythema is a common side effect that is usually mild and temporary, and the risk of medication error with high potency injection is a concern with other potent opioids but not specific to Fentanyl patches.