<i>Notes from the Field:</i> Suspected Medetomidine Withdrawal Syndrome Among Fentanyl-Exposed Patients — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, September 2024–January 2025
Medetomidine, a synthetic alpha-2 adrenoreceptor agonist, is a new drug adulterant that was detected in 72% of illegal opioid samples tested in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, during the last 4 months of 2024.During the same period, detection of xylazine (previously the most common adulterant) decreased from 98% to 31% of samples (1), and health care providers at hospitals in Philadelphia noticed an increasing number of hospitalized patients with a severe drug withdrawal syndrome distinct from fentanyl and xylazine withdrawal, characterized by profound autonomic dysfunction, such as severe hypertension and tachycardia.This report aims to increase awareness of the presence of medetomidine in the illegal opioid supply, characterize the emerging medetomidine withdrawal syndrome, and describe measures to provide effective patient care for this life-threatening syndrome.
Authors
- Rita McKeever (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1670-5032)
- Kory London (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0453-5171)
- Jeanmarie Perrone (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3396-6333)
- Benjamin Hart
- Lauren Murphy (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6462-5232)
- Emily R. Casey (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0008-8381-6879)
- Samantha Huo
- Major Vishal Arora
- Philip Durney
- Abriana Tasillo
- Dennis Goodstein
Publication Details
- Journal
- MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
- Published
- 2025-05-01
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7415a2
- Citations
- 21
- Primary Topic
- Intensive Care Unit Cognitive Disorders
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 32.45
Funders
- University of Pennsylvania
- Thomas Jefferson University
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania