Alfentanil is a synthetic opioid analgesic with a high potency and short duration of action. Like fentanil, it is useful for:
- short operative analgesia, e.g. outpatient and day surgery
- enhancement of general anaesthesia
- suppression of spontaneous respiration in patients on assisted ventilation
- cardiovascular surgery; it disrupts this system relatively little
The key side effect is that of severe respiratory depression.
Alfentanil - Seek specialist palliative care advice (1)
- 1mg SC alfentanil = 10mg SC diamorphine = 30mg oral morphine = 15mg SC morphine
- suitable parenteral opioid for use in advanced renal disease under specialist guidance. Alfentanil has a short duration of action which limits its use for breakthrough analgesia
- note very different dose conversions than Fentanyl
- alfentanil and Fentanyl are different drugs
Reference:
- 1) West Midlands Palliative Care Physicians (2012). Palliative care - guidelines for the use of drugs in symptoms control.