Comparative Pharmacology
Head-to-head clinical analysis: ACTIQ versus OXAYDO.
Peer-Reviewed Evidence
Head-to-head clinical analysis: ACTIQ versus OXAYDO.
ACTIQ vs OXAYDO
Comparing the clinical profiles, pharmacokinetic behaviors, and safety indices of these two therapeutic agents.
Opioid agonist; binds to mu-opioid receptors in the CNS, altering pain perception and response.
Oxycodone is a full opioid agonist with relative selectivity for mu-opioid receptors, although it can bind to kappa-opioid receptors at higher doses. The principal therapeutic action of oxycodone is analgesia. Like all full opioid agonists, there is no ceiling effect to analgesia for oxycodone.
200 mcg transmucosally, titrated upward as needed; initial dose for opioid-tolerant patients is 200 mcg, with additional doses possible after 15 minutes if needed. Maximum 4 doses per episode. At least 4 hours between episodes.
Oral, 5-10 mg every 4-6 hours as needed for pain; maximum 60 mg per day.
None Documented
None Documented
Terminal half-life 0.83–2 hours (mean 1.3 h) in adults; note that context: transmucosal absorption leads to rapid onset but short duration; half-life is not correlated with clinical effect due to oral transmucosal route and rapid redistribution.
Terminal elimination half-life is 3.5-5.5 hours for immediate-release oxycodone; clinically dose every 4-6 hours for sustained analgesia.
Primarily renal as metabolites (about 75% as metabolites, <10% unchanged). Fecal excretion accounts for <9%. Biliary excretion is minor.
Primarily renal as unchanged drug and metabolites; ~90% excreted in urine (approx 10% unchanged oxycodone, rest as noroxycodone and oxymorphone conjugates) and <10% in feces via biliary elimination.
Category C
Category C
Opioid Analgesic
Opioid Analgesic