Comparative Pharmacology
Head-to-head clinical analysis: OXYMORPHONE HYDROCHLORIDE versus VICOPRIN.
Peer-Reviewed Evidence
Head-to-head clinical analysis: OXYMORPHONE HYDROCHLORIDE versus VICOPRIN.
OXYMORPHONE HYDROCHLORIDE vs VICOPRIN
Comparing the clinical profiles, pharmacokinetic behaviors, and safety indices of these two therapeutic agents.
Oxymorphone is a semi-synthetic opioid agonist that binds to mu-opioid receptors in the central nervous system, inhibiting ascending pain pathways and altering pain perception and response. It also has affinity for kappa and delta opioid receptors.
VICOPRIN (hydrocodone/acetaminophen) combines a mu-opioid receptor agonist (hydrocodone) that inhibits ascending pain pathways and alters pain perception, with an analgesic and antipyretic (acetaminophen) that inhibits cyclooxygenase (COX) and central prostaglandin synthesis.
Initial: 1 mg IV/IM every 3-4 hours as needed for moderate to severe pain; titrate to effect. For patient-controlled analgesia (PCA), 0.5 mg IV loading dose, then 0.25-0.5 mg every 6-15 minutes with lockout. Rectal suppository: 5 mg every 4-6 hours.
1 to 2 tablets (each containing 7.5 mg hydrocodone bitartrate and 200 mg ibuprofen) orally every 4 to 6 hours as needed for pain; maximum 5 tablets per day.
None Documented
None Documented
Terminal elimination half-life: 7-9 hours (range 4-12 h in elderly/renal impairment). Clinically, steady-state achieved within 24-36 hours.
Hydrocodone: 3.8-6.0 hours in adults; acetaminophen: 2.0-4.0 hours. Clinically, Vicoprofen (hydrocodone/ibuprofen) has an effective half-life of ~4-6 hours for hydrocodone; ibuprofen half-life is 2-4 hours.
Primarily renal (90% as parent drug and metabolites); <1% fecal. Unchanged oxymorphone accounts for ~30% of urinary recovery.
Renal excretion of metabolites (hydrocodone: ~60% as conjugates; acetaminophen: ~85-90% as glucuronide and sulfate conjugates). Biliary/fecal elimination accounts for <5%.
Category C
Category C
Opioid Analgesic
Opioid Analgesic