Context-sensitive half-time of fentanyl in dogs

Context-sensitive half-times (CSHTs) of fentanyl in dogs were determined using pharmacokinetic models reported by Murphy et al. and Sano et al., and compared with a human model. The CSHT was defined as the time required for a 50% decrease in drug concentration in the central compartment after the termination of infusion. Although CSHTs increased gradually as the infusion time increased, the CSHTs in dogs were shorter than those in humans. The CSHTs at steady-state were 31.3 and 69.2 min in dogs, and 306.5 min in humans. The CSHTs of fentanyl in dogs are apparently shorter than those in humans; therefore, a continuous infusion of fentanyl may be a rational regimen in dogs, even if duration of infusion is extended.