Hydrocodone Vs Oxycodone

Hydrocodone and oxycodone are narcotic drugs that are chemically similar and used as pain killers to relieve mild to severe pain and suppress excessive coughing. These are prescription drugs that are significantly becoming addictive. They can cause a lot of health hazards when used excessively.

Hydrocodone and oxycodone are available in generic form and do not cost much. There are different strengths of drugs available and both have similar side effects and drug interactions. The hydrocodone withdrawal symptoms and oxycodone withdrawal symptoms are also more or less similar. The government has been monitoring and regulating the use and distribution of these habit forming drugs. This was a little about the similarities of the drugs. Let us know more about hydrocondone vs oxycodone.

Information on Hydrocodone Vs Oxycodone

The following table will help you understand the debate of hydrocone vs oxycodone using the major facts about both drugs. Both these drugs are similar to morphine and thus have a high potential of a person becoming addictive to the drug. The drugs helps provide patients relief from pain and coughing, but also give them a feeling of euphoria and relaxation. Constipation, dizziness, sedation and respiratory depression are some of the side effects of hydrocodone and oxycodone. When hydrocodone and oxycodone are taken in large dose in a short period, it leads to many health problems. These serious health problems include liver toxicity, respiratory arrest and even death.

Characteristics of Hydrocodone

Characteristics of Oxycodone

One of narcotic analgesic drugs prescribed by doctors to treat mild to moderate pain and controlling coughing. Hydrocodone itself is classified as a Schedule II narcotic drug under Controlled Substances Act of 1970. Medications like Vicodin, Lortab, Lorcet that contain hydrocone are classified under Schedule III list of controlled substances. Thus, suggesting the abuse of this drug is not as high as compared to oxycodone. Vicodin and other similar drugs are made from a combination of hydrocodone and acetaminophen (Tyleno). The doctor can 'call in' the drug from the pharmacy as it is not as stringently regulated as oxycodone.

Oxycodone is a 5 times more potent drug than hydroconone. It is used to treat moderate to severe pain due to trauma, injury and especially for people with chronic pain due to cancer and coughing. Also, an analgesic narcotic, oxycodone is Schedule II narcotic drug under Controlled Substances Act of 1970 and all drugs under oxycodone are also placed under the same agenda. This proves that this drug has a higher abuse potential than hydrocodone. The generic names of oxycodone are Percocet, Tylox, Roxilox, etc. These drugs are also made from a combination of acetaminophen and oxycodone. The doctor cannot 'call in' the drug as hydrocodone and one needs a written prescription from a doctor to buy it from the pharmacy.

You may want to know more on:

• Hydrocodone Side Effects
• Oxycodone Side Effects

This a little information on hydrocodone Vs oxycodone.. As observed in our discussion on hydrocodone Vs oxycodone, hydrocodone is more easy available. Thus, doctors prescribe it more often for patients in all age groups. It has been observed that young children in 8th to 12th grades are using Vicodin for non-medical purposes and the rate of addiction to this drug is growing. This has led the Drug Enforcement Administration to consider moving Schedule III drugs of hydrocodone to Schedule II. Oxycodone is mostly abused by 12th graders and many states have taken up legislation to monitor the use and distribition of the drug. These states include, California, Hawaii, New Mexico, New York, Texas and Virgina.

This is all about hydrocodone vs oxycodone and I hope that you must have understood the difference between the two narcotic analgesics. Follow the advise of your physician who prescribes this drug for pain management and make sure you get off the drug as soon as the treatment is over. There is no point in coming out of one trauma and getting into another major life changing or life treating trauma.