Comparative Pharmacology
Head-to-head clinical analysis: BUTRANS versus OXAYDO.
Peer-Reviewed Evidence
Head-to-head clinical analysis: BUTRANS versus OXAYDO.
BUTRANS vs OXAYDO
Comparing the clinical profiles, pharmacokinetic behaviors, and safety indices of these two therapeutic agents.
Buprenorphine is a partial mu-opioid receptor agonist and a weak kappa-opioid receptor antagonist. It binds with high affinity to mu-opioid receptors, producing analgesic and opioid effects with a ceiling effect on respiratory depression.
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.
Apply one BUTRANS (buprenorphine) transdermal system to a clean, dry, non-irritated, and non-hairy area of the chest, back, flank, or upper arm. Initial dose: 5 mcg/h for opioid-naïve patients; titrate based on pain control and tolerability. Maximum dose: 20 mcg/h. Replace every 7 days. Rotate application sites.
Oral, 5-10 mg every 4-6 hours as needed for pain; maximum 60 mg per day.
None Documented
None Documented
Terminal half-life: 4-6 hours in healthy adults; prolonged to 12-18 hours in elderly or renal impairment
Terminal elimination half-life is 3.5-5.5 hours for immediate-release oxycodone; clinically dose every 4-6 hours for sustained analgesia.
Renal: 60-70% as unchanged drug and metabolites; biliary/fecal: 20-30%
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