Table 1.
Conversion table for deriving the starting dosage of transdermal fentanyl from the prior daily oral dosage of opioid* (expressed as morphine oral dosage equivalence).
| Morphine oral dosage equivalence (mg per 24 hours) |
Required transdermal fentanyl dosage (μg per hour) |
|
|---|---|---|
| Patients needing opioid rotation [43] | Patients on stable, well-tolerated opioid treatment** |
|
| <44 | <60 | 12.5 |
| 45–134 | 60–89 | 25 |
| 135–224 | 90–149 | 50 |
| 225–314 | 150–209 | 75 |
| 315–404 | 210–269 | 100 |
| 405–494 | 270–329 | 125 |
| 495–584 | 330–389 | 150 |
| 585–674 | 390–449 | 175 |
| 675–764 | 450–509 | 200 |
| 765–854 | 510–569 | 225 |
| 855–944 | 570–629 | 250 |
| 945–1034 | 630–689 | 275 |
| 1035–1124 | 690–749 | 300 |
*For opioid-naïve patients, the starting dose of transdermal fentanyl was 25 μg/hour; **for patients who are not on opioid rotation but simply switching from oral to transdermal opioid treatment.