fentanyl vs meperidine
Side-by-side comparison of fentanyl and meperidine Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
Duragesic, Actiq
Demerol
Fentanyl Citrate Injection is a strong opioid pain medicine. It is used to provide short-term pain relief, often during and after surgery.
Meperidine is a strong pain medicine. It is used to treat severe, acute pain when other pain medicines are not strong enough.
Fentanyl Citrate Injection is used to manage pain during and after surgery. It can be used alone or with other medicines during general or regional anesthesia. It may also be used with oxygen for high-risk patients during certain surgeries.
Meperidine is used to manage acute pain that is severe enough to need an opioid pain medicine. It is for use when other treatments do not work well enough. Meperidine should not be used for chronic, long-lasting pain. Taking meperidine for a long time may increase the risk of seizures.
Fentanyl is an opioid that works by binding to receptors in the brain and spinal cord. This binding decreases the feeling of pain. It can also cause sleepiness and slow breathing.
Meperidine is an opioid agonist. It works by binding to receptors in the brain and spinal cord. This reduces the feeling of pain.
- • Nausea
- • Vomiting
- • Dizziness
- • Blurred vision
- • Lightheadedness
- • Dizziness
- • Sleepiness
- • Nausea
- • Vomiting
- Misuse of drugs 10,453
- Pain 7,248
- Drug addiction 6,027
- Harmful effect from drugs 5,847
- Taking too much of a drug 5,722
- Allergic reaction to the drug 3,248
- Drug not working 1,271
- Pain 1,250
- Feeling sick to your stomach 1,133
- Using the drug for a condition it is not approved for 861
Fentanyl Citrate Injection can cause serious and life-threatening risks: * Addiction, abuse, and misuse can lead to overdose and death. Your doctor will assess your risk before prescribing and monitor you regularly. * Life-threatening respiratory depression (slowed or stopped breathing) can occur, especially when starting the medicine or after a dose increase. Proper dosing is essential. * Taking fentanyl with benzodiazepines (like Valium or Xanax) or other CNS depressants (including alcohol) can cause severe sleepiness, slowed breathing, coma, and death. This combination should be avoided unless there are no other options. * Using fentanyl with certain other medicines (CYP3A4 inhibitors or inducers) can change the amount of fentanyl in your blood, leading to dangerous side effects or withdrawal symptoms. Your doctor will monitor you closely if these medicines are used together.
Meperidine has a boxed warning. This means it has serious risks. These risks include: Medication errors that can cause overdose, addiction, abuse, and misuse, life-threatening respiratory depression, accidental ingestion (especially by children) can cause a fatal overdose, dangerous effects when taken with benzodiazepines or other CNS depressants, and neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome. Make sure you read the Medication Guide.
Using fentanyl for a long time during pregnancy can cause withdrawal symptoms in the newborn. Fentanyl is not recommended during labor or delivery because it can cause breathing problems in the baby.
Taking meperidine for a long time during pregnancy can cause withdrawal symptoms in the newborn. Meperidine is not recommended during or right before labor because it can cause breathing problems in the baby.
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How to Read This fentanyl vs meperidine Comparison
fentanyl is classified in the Opioid Analgesic drug class, while meperidine sits within the Opioid Analgesic class. Because both drugs share the same classification, they are often considered interchangeable in theory — but clinical outcomes rarely track that cleanly. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, fentanyl has 35,297 submissions while meperidine has 7,763. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume — not per-patient risk — so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. No direct interaction between these two drugs is listed in our FDA-derived dataset, though co-prescription still warrants pharmacist review. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between fentanyl and meperidine — always consult your physician or pharmacist first.
Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.