Comparative Pharmacology
Head-to-head clinical analysis: OXAYDO versus VICODIN ES.
Peer-Reviewed Evidence
Head-to-head clinical analysis: OXAYDO versus VICODIN ES.
OXAYDO vs VICODIN ES
Comparing the clinical profiles, pharmacokinetic behaviors, and safety indices of these two therapeutic agents.
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.
Hydrocodone is a mu-opioid receptor agonist; acetaminophen inhibits cyclooxygenase (COX) and modulates descending serotonergic pathways.
Oral, 5-10 mg every 4-6 hours as needed for pain; maximum 60 mg per day.
Oral: 1 tablet (7.5 mg hydrocodone/300 mg acetaminophen) every 4-6 hours as needed for pain; maximum 6 tablets per day due to acetaminophen limit.
None Documented
None Documented
Terminal elimination half-life is 3.5-5.5 hours for immediate-release oxycodone; clinically dose every 4-6 hours for sustained analgesia.
Hydrocodone: terminal half-life approximately 3.3-4.5 hours in adults, extended in hepatic or renal impairment. Acetaminophen: terminal half-life about 2-3 hours.
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.
Hydrocodone: primarily renal (urine) as unchanged drug and metabolites (O-demethylation and 6-keto-reduction products); ~26% excreted unchanged. Acetaminophen: renal (urine), ~85% as glucuronide and sulfate conjugates, ~2% unchanged.
Category C
Category C
Opioid Analgesic
Opioid Analgesic