Beyond fentanyl: The emergence of xylazine in illicit opioids.

Xylazine is a veterinary drug that has become a common adulterant in opioids, particularly heroin and fentanyl. This article provides a comprehensive review of the drug, including its history, pharmacology, toxicology, pathophysiology, withdrawal, medical management, associated wound care, and harm reduction strategies, so that physician associates and other clinicians may be better equipped to recognize possible xylazine misuse in their patients and provide adequate treatment for xylazine-related harms.