In April of 2016, Prince fans all across the world were left in complete shock when they learned of his untimely death. Initially, there was speculation that the Purple Rain singer may have overdosed on prescription drugs. Now, his detailed toxicology reports have been made public and the results are as disheartening as most fans feared.
Heightened Levels Of Fentanyl:
By now, most fans know Prince suffered from severe hip pain due to years of dancing and performing. In his later years, he turned to prescription drugs, namely Fentanyl to cope with the excruciating pain. However, on that fateful night in April of 2016, sadly, things went a bit too far. According to USA Today, Prince’s autopsy and toxicology reports were obtained by The Associated Press on Monday, March 26 and it was confirmed that Prince had an exceedingly high concentration of Fentanyl in his system. It was also noted that Prince’s liver also suffered tremendously as a result of the medications he’d taken.
Medical experts have spoken out about Prince’s condition explaining the severity of the Fentanyl concentration found in his system. Dr. Lewis Nelson, chairman of emergency medicine at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, spoke with the Associated Press and made it clear that the amount of Fentanyl in Prince’s system at the time of his accidental overdose was dangerously high even for someone with chronic pain.
“The amount in [Prince’s] blood is exceedingly high, even for somebody who is a chronic pain patient on fentanyl patches,” Dr. Nelson told the publication. He added that the fentanyl concentrations were “a pretty clear smoking gun.”
The DEA reports that even a small amount of Fentanyl could lead to grave consequences for a non-opioid dependent person. According to the government agency, “approximately two milligrams is a lethal dose for most non-opioid-dependent individuals.
The Dangers Of Fentanyl:
Fentanyl is described as a synthetic opioid that is a very powerful anesthetic used to treat severe pain. In fact, according to CNN, it is considered the most powerful opioid medication on the market. Doctors commonly prescribe the powerful opioid for cancer patients, but there are sometimes cases where it is prescribed for patients suffering from other ailments. Although it does offer relief for patients facing heightened discomfort, there are several drawbacks to taking these types of painkillers. Many patients find themselves battling addiction as the body becomes immune requiring higher doses to feel the same effects. While there are many narcotic medications doctors prescribe, Fentanyl is a bit different simply because of how powerful it is. According to DEA.gov, Fentanyl tends to be more potent than heroin, which is the reason why there are so many deaths as a result of Fentanyl overdose.
It is much more potent than heroin- up to 30-50 times as potent (and as deadly) as heroin– two milligrams of fentanyl (equivalent to a few grains of table salt) is considered to be a deadly dose for more than 95 percent of the American public. Some compounds such as carfentanyl are even stronger – up to 100 times more potent than fentanyl.
In addition there are no standard dosages of fentanyl and fentanyl related compounds when used illicitly, and as a result the amount of fentanyl can vary greatly between vendors and batches. For example, one 2016 seizure of counterfeit prescription pills had approximately 1.8 milligrams of fentanyl in each pill. Such a large amount of fentanyl in each pill is alarming considering that approximately two milligrams is a lethal dose for most non-opioid-dependent individuals. – DEA.gov
Gone Too Soon:
Prince, whose real name is Prince Rogers Nelson, died on April 21, 2016. The singer made headlines after he was found unresponsive inside an elevator in his Paisley Park home located in Chanhassen, Minnesota. The Purple One was an incredible talent who left an extraordinary legacy that will most likely inspire musicians and performers for many years to come.
