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Drug analogs are chemical compounds that are similar to other drugs
in their effects but differ slightly in their chemical structure. Some
analogs are produced by pharmaceutical companies for legitimate medical
reasons. Other analogs, sometimes referred to as "designer" drugs, can be produced in illegal laboratories and are often more dangerous
and potent than the original drug. Two of the most commonly known opioid
analogs are fentanyl and meperidine (marketed under the brand name Demerol,
for example).
Fentanyl was introduced in 1968 by a Belgian pharmaceutical company
as a synthetic narcotic to be used as an analgesic in surgical procedures
because of its minimal effects on the heart. Fentanyl is particularly
dangerous because it is 50 times more potent than heroin and can rapidly
stop respiration. This is not a problem during surgical procedures because
machines are used to help patients breathe. On the street, however,
users have been found dead with the needle used to inject the drug still
in their arms.
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