It is usually prescribed in the place of other opioids if they are ineffective at treating pain. Morphine can be swallowed or injected, although injection is preferred among people who abuse it due to the near-instantaneous effects it can produce.
Hydrocodone is similar in potency to morphine and oxycodone. It is, by far, the most commonly prescribed opioid medication in the United States. In , approximately In many instances of hydrocodone addiction, users will graduate to using stronger, more potent opioids.
Codeine is commonly found in a prescription cough syrup that is used to reduce coughing. However, it can also be prescribed to treat mild to moderate pain when it comes in tablet form combined with Tylenol. Although it is weaker in potency than many other opioids, it still has a potential for abuse. Meperidine, or Demerol, was the first synthetic opioid to hit the market. It is weaker than the previous opioids on this list, but it still has a potential for abuse.
As a result, it can be just as dangerous as the other opioids on the list. Tramadol is sometimes dispensed under its brand name, Ultram. Tramadol is similar in potency to meperidine, but it is less dangerous because there is a lower risk of tolerance, physical dependence, and abuse. Even though it is the weakest opioid, it can still be abused and can lead to addiction. Regardless of what type or potency of opioids is abused, there is always a risk for addiction. Unfortunately, approximately 80 percent of heroin users report that they began using prescription opioids before moving on to heroin.
Fortunately, recovery from opioid or painkiller addiction is possible. The best first step to take is to seek addiction treatment from a drug rehab near you. All of the information on this page has been reviewed and verified by a certified addiction professional. She currently practices in the public domain in South Africa.
She has an interest in medical writing and has a keen interest in evidence-based medicine. Opioids From Strongest to Weakest. Table of Contents.
Because Vicodin and Percocet are both opioid pain medications, they share similar side effects. Common side effects of Vicodin and Percocet can include:. While both drugs are likely to cause constipation, oxycodone has been associated with causing this side effect in more people compared to hydrocodone. The long-acting form of oxycodone may cause less constipation than the immediate-acting form.
Severe but less common side effects can occur with Vicodin and Percocet medications. If you have any of these side effects, call or go to the nearest emergency room right away. These side effects may include:. Both Vicodin and Percocet affect your mental and physical abilities, such as judgment and reflexes. Vicodin and Percocet are powerful drugs, so you should be aware of the risks involved with taking them. Even if you take them exactly as prescribed, Vicodin or Percocet may become habit-forming.
In other words, these drugs can cause physical or mental dependence. For this reason, doctors are cautious when prescribing them.
There is also the risk of a withdrawal response when stopping these drugs. If you take either drug for more than a few days, talk to your doctor before you stop. Your doctor can help you taper off the medication slowly. This reduces your risk of withdrawal. Be sure to take these drugs exactly as your doctor prescribes to reduce your risk of both dependence and withdrawal problems. Like most drugs, Vicodin and Percocet can interact with other medications.
This means that when used with certain other drugs, these medications can cause effects that can be dangerous. Before you take Vicodin or Percocet, tell your doctor about all other medications you take, including vitamins and supplements. Vicodin and Percocet interact with many of the same drugs.
For more information, visit the interaction sections for Vicodin and Percocet. If you have certain health conditions, taking Vicodin or Percocet could increase certain risks. Before taking Vicodin or Percocet, be sure to tell your doctor if you have constipation or intestinal blockage. Opioid analgesics can cause increased constipation, so ask your doctor if you should avoid taking them. You should not drink alcohol while taking either Vicodin or Percocet.
Combining alcohol and these painkillers can cause extreme dizziness or drowsiness, and can even be deadly. In some cases, taking one of these drugs with alcohol can cause liver damage.
This is true if you drink more than three alcoholic drinks per day, have alcoholic liver disease, or have a history of alcohol abuse.
Vicodin and Percocet are opioid pain medications that are similar in many ways. Some of the main ways in which they differ are strengths and cost. If your doctor feels you need Vicodin or Percocet for your pain, they will choose the drug for you based on several factors. Therefore, it does not make sense to classify it as a morphine-equivalent analgesic. The authors assert that fentanyl, hydromorphone, methadone, oxycodone, and oxymorphone are "stronger" than morphine.
While it is true that a smaller dose of these drugs may be required to obtain the same analgesic response as can be obtained with morphine, that fact does not mean that they have greater effectiveness. Morphine is a very effective analgesic and can be given in very large doses to control very severe pain in persons at the end of life. About 20 mg of oral oxycodone and 7. Are those the data the authors used to classify these drugs as stronger than morphine?
There is a great deal of controversy and confusion about opioid analgesics and the role they should play in the control of persistent pain.
Clarity about the meaning of terms and about opioid pharmacology is essential if there is to be a constructive dialog about the role of these drugs in pain control. It is unfortunate that this report adds to the confusion by providing inappropriate classifications of analgesics. One might conclude from the data that there has been an increase in the use of appropriate analgesics the pure opioid agonists and a decrease in the use of inappropriate analgesics drugs with limited efficacy and limiting side effects , but is that the message the authors meant to convey?
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