Nebulized fentanyl for refractory dyspnea secondary to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): A case report

Leah Hildreth; Danielle Pett; Elizabeth Higgins

doi:10.1016/j.rmcr.2020.101251

Nebulized fentanyl for refractory dyspnea secondary to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): A case report

Respir Med Case Rep. 2020 Oct 12;31:101251. doi: 10.1016/j.rmcr.2020.101251. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Leah Hildreth¹, Danielle Pett¹, Elizabeth Higgins¹

Affiliation

¹ Medical University of South Carolina, 171 Ashley Ave, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA.

Abstract

We present a case where we evaluated the effectiveness of nebulized fentanyl in the treatment of refractive dyspnea in a patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with major complications and comorbidities. Nebulized fentanyl was used to successfully decrease the subjective symptoms of refractory dyspnea in this given patient. Nebulized fentanyl appears to be a cost-effective treatment option in patients that experience episodes of severe shortness of breath (SOB).

Keywords: COPD; Dyspnea; Nebulized fentanyl.

Publication types

Case Reports