Opioids are the oldest and most commonly used pain relievers. They contain chemicals that act on the central nervous system and make the body react differently to any type of pain. There are several medicines belonging to the group of Opioids that act as pain relievers, and Oxycodone and Vicodin are two among them. These drugs are widely prescribed and most commonly used. Both these drugs serve the same purpose, so what are the factors that make them apart from each other? We will discuss the same in this blog, Oxycodone vs Vicodin, know some differences between Oxycodone vs Vicodin strength, ingredients, and compare which is better, Oxycodone or Vicodin for pain.
Understanding The Difference Between Oxycodone And Vicodin
What are Oxycodone and Vicodin?
Oxycodone is a powerful analgesic used for the treatment of moderate to severe pain. It works on the central nervous system (CNS) and changes the way our body reacts to pain. It is used to relieve severe pain such as pain from surgery, childbirth birth and cancer. Oxycodone comes under Schedule II controlled substances, representing a high rate of addiction.
Vicodin is prescribed for moderate to moderately severe pain. The ingredients present in Vicodin are Hydrocodone, which is an Opioid pain reliever that blocks the signal of pain in the brain and reduces the sensation of pain, and Acetaminophen, a non-opioid pain reliever that enhances the Hydrocodone effects and fever reducer. The combination of these products makes Vicodin efficient in treating moderate to severe pain, such as back pain, rheumatoid arthritis, and cough suppression.
What’s The Difference Between Oxycodone and Vicodin For Pain Management?
Both Oxycodone and Vicodin are opioid medicines and fulfill the same purpose of pain relief, despite having the same purpose. They can differ in ways like their effectiveness, chemical composition, addictiveness, cost, overdose, and side effects. Now, understand the difference between Oxycodone vs Vicodin pain management, which helps to choose which is better for your needs.
Brands Name
Usually, Oxycodone is available in different brands, such as Dazidox, Endocodone, ETH-Oxydose, Oxaydo, OxyContin, Oxydose, Oxyfast, Roxicodone, RoxyBond, and Xtampza ER. whereas Vicodin is a brand of Hydrocodone, which is a strong opioid medication. Its other brand names are Vicodin ES, Vicodin HP, Lortab, Lorcet, Lorcet Plus, Norco, Zydone, Hycet, Maxidone, Stagesic, Verdrocet, Xodol, Zamicet, and Zolvit.
Formulations
Oxycodone is available in the form of an immediate-release tablet, an abuse-deterrent tablet, immediate-release capsules, an immediate-release oral solution, and extended-release tablets. Immediate-release medications are designed for short-term pain relief, but extended-release designed for long-term pain relief, which lasts long period. whereas Vicodin is available in the form of a tablet for oral administration.
Dosages Of Oxycodone Vs Vicodin
Both Oxycodone and Vicodin are prescription medications that are only used by prescribed them and should never share your dose with anyone, because their dosage differs for individuals, it’s based on the patient’s pain level, age, weight, and health condition.
Vicodin Doses
- Generic tablets: 325 mg of acetaminophen with 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 7.5 mg, or 10 mg of hydrocodone is prescribed to the patient.
- Generic liquid solution: Vicodin dose prescribed for the generic liquid solution is 325 mg of acetaminophen with 7.5 mg of hydrocodone per 15 milliliters (mL).
Oxycodone Doses
- Extended-release tablets/capsule: The exact dose depends upon the physician, but the manufacturer suggests taking one tablet for every 12 hours twice daily.
- Solution: 5 to 15 mg every 4 to 6 hours is usually recommended and can vary according to the tolerance level of the patient.
The above-mentioned dosages are just commonly specified and not fixed. The physician makes modifications while actually prescribing the doses to the patients based on their symptoms and tolerance. Try to stick to the prescribed doses and do not make any modifications on your own.
Side Effects Comparison: Oxycodone Vs Vicodin
The Opioid medications Oxycodone and Vicodin have side effects of their own. Their side effects range from mild to severe, with milder effects being easily treatable but severe ones posing a threat to life. Common side effects of Oxycodone and Vicodin include:
- Lightheadedness
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Sedation
- Vomiting
- sweating
In addition to all of these common effects of both drugs, there are certain side effects of each of the drugs that are seen in people taking the drug separately. Heart attack, constipation, itching, rash, and depression are seen in cases of people taking Oxycodone. Similarly, for people taking Vicodin, effects like decreased breathing, liver failure, and urination difficulties are observed.
Drug Interactions
Oxycodone and Vicodin interact with other drugs, leading to several serious health issues; thus, inform your doctors if you take these drugs before or during pain-relief treatment. These drugs are:
Oxycodone Drug Interactions
- Alcohol
- Barbiturates
- Skeletal muscle relaxants (Soma and Flexeril)
- Benzodiazepines (Ativan and Xanax)
- Stimulate (pentazocine, nalbuphine, butorphanol, and buprenorphine)
Vicodin Drug Interactions
- Alcohol
- Other sedatives
- Carbamazepine (Tegretol, Tegretol XR, Equetro, Carbatrol)
- Monoamine oxidase inhibitor (Marplan, Nardil, Parnate, Eldepryl, and Matulane)
Dependency Risk Between Oxycodone Vs Vicodin
Both the drug Oxycodone and Vicodin carry a high risk of addiction. But Oxycodone possesses a greater risk of dependence than Vicodin, and this makes these two drugs differ in their rate of dependency. Oxycodone, due to its high potency, poses a great risk of dependence in the patient. Patients prescribed long-term Oxycodone tend to become addicted even without an overdose. Vicodin, on the other hand, contains Hydrocodone, which is less potent than Oxycodone, which is the reason behind Vicodin being less addictive than Oxycodone.
Can You Take Oxycodone and Vicodin Together?
It is never recommended to take Oxycodone and Vicodine together due to the risk of enhancing the sedative effect of both drugs. If taken together, they increase the level of side effects, including drowsiness, dizziness, and others, which interfere in the way of daily life, leading to a life-threatening event. Combining both drugs can result in severe respiratory issues in which breathing becomes slow and eventually stops.
In addition to all of the effects, the main harm can be caused by the mixing of the ingredients of both drugs. There is a great possibility that the ingredient of any one of the drugs may cause an allergic reaction in case of some people, and also the chance that one of the drugs is not suitable for the person exists.
Which Is Stronger, Oxycodone or Vicodin?
To choose which medicine is stronger and better between Oxycodone and Vicodin for the patient, the physician conducts several tests and then prescribes them accordingly. Vicodin, being a less potent substance, can’t be used in the case of people with acute symptoms because it would fail to have any effect at all. So, it is mostly used in cases of people who are supposed to remain under long-term treatment.
As discussed above, due to the high potency nature of Oxycodone, most of the patients are unable to tolerate the side effects and hence are not prescribed it. Old age people and babies are not recommended with Oxycodone because their tolerance level is low for the drug. So, Oxycodone is prescribed to adults aged 18 and above, and for much older and younger individuals, the doses can be adjusted or alternatives are recommended. These factors make Oxycodone much stronger than Vicodin.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can Oxycodone or Vicodin be administered to a pregnant woman?
It is not recommended for a pregnant woman to take Oxycodone or Vicodin because these can be a risk of miscarriage, premature birth, and several other dangers for the baby.
Does Vicodin and Oxycodone test the same?
Neither Oxycodone nor Vicodin shows up on any standard drug test, but there is a chance of getting caught if a specific test for opioids is performed.
Are Oxycodone and Vicodin the same thing?
No, Oxycodone and Vicodin are not the same thing because they have a wide range of differences between them in their active ingredients, dosages, side effects, and uses.
Conclusion
In this blog, we got a lot of insights on both Oxycodone and Vicodin about their side effects, dosage, and which is better between the two. So, at the end, we can conclude that Oxycodone and Vicodin are effective in their own way, which places them among one of the most recommended categories of pain relievers. It depends upon the patient’s tolerance level, symptoms, and medical condition to get assigned to one of the following. Therefore, try to take these medicines according to the prescribed way to get the most out of each.