New Synthetic Opioids: Clinical Considerations and Dangers

Abstract Since the early 2010s, synthetic opioids have significantly contributed to overall opioid-related overdose mortalities. For point of reference, of the 68,630 opioid-related deaths recorded in 2020, 56,516 involved synthetic opioids. During much of this period, fentanyl has been the most commonly used synthetic opioid. This time when fentanyl was the most popular opioid has been called the “third wave” of the opioid crisis, partly because it led to a sharp rise in deaths from overdoses. Other synthetic opioids, such