Hydrocodone (Vicodin): Uses, Dosage, Side Effects

2. Historical Background of Hydrocodone (Vicodin) 

Hydrocodone is one of the most efficiently used drugs in aesthetic capacities. Vicodin has been determined to have more than one use when applied as instructed by a practitioner. Hydrocodone may be used as a cough syrup to suppress dry and unpleasant coughs and also virtually as a pain reliever. In the United States of America, Hydrocodone has become one of the most used opiate painkillers (Aschenbrenner, 2014). Similar to analgesia, Vicodin is derived from the poppy plant. However, the contrast is that unlike the other anesthetic agents, Hydrocodone does not occur naturally thus has to be chemically manufactured in the laboratories to modify the codeine molecules. Additionally, Hydrocodone is rarely prescribed independently but instead is used complementarily with other drugs such as Acetaminophen (Jones, Lurie, & Throckmorton, 2016). Nonetheless, owing to the development of technology, research has determined that Hydrocodone can be used alone as a purely Vicodin medication. 

Hydrocodone has been used effectively as a painkiller for many years now and continues to be relevant in the medical field. Often, medical scenarios contain a patient that is in unbearable pain. Doctors have been found to prefer Hydrocodone as a painkiller compared to analgesia such as Morphine and Codeine which posses numerous undesirable side effects. Chronic pain like any other medical condition tends to aggravate with time causing extensive systems such as anxiety,sleep deprivation, and depression. Although pain often emanates from a more complex health problem, both patients and medical practitioners should take an active measure of utilizing Hydrocodone in a somewhat timely fashion. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has made public its intentions to reduce the hydrocodone prescription by half of the current number which is maintained at over 100 million prescriptions. Many individuals have protested the initiative by DEA with claims that healthcare would e affected. 

Considering the history of Hydrocodone, the name initially given to the drug was Dicodid. The name was given to the drug because when Hydrocodone was compared to Dilaudid, it was determined that two opioids functioned the same and with an almost equal efficiency. Jones, Lurie, & Throckmorton (2016) assert that Vicodin also was also determined to perform similarly to other drugs such as Dihydrin and Dinarkon. Hydrocodone was also presumed to have the same narcotic influence as Heroin, Oxycodone, and Morphin. The partially synthetic opiate drug is available in syrup, tablet, or capsules. Thus, the main method of administration used is through oral administration (Trescot, Krashin, & Murinova, 2013). It is notable that the drug is not prescribed in its pure form but the composition often includes other substances such as Antihistamines, Acetaminophen, Asprin, and Ibuprofen. In the present day, it is surmised that over 100 million prescriptions of Hydrocodone have been issued. 

Vicodin is the strongest form of Hydrocodone that practitioners prescribe to patients in the modern day. Vicodine has been determined to be six times more efficacious as compared to the normal dose of Hydrocodone. Sadly, it is due to the stated truism that Vicodin has become one of the most abused drugs in the world. Additionally, Vicodine is said to contain 500 miligrams of Acetaminophen which gives it a powerful narcotic aspect (Jones, Lurie, & Throckmorton, 2016). Hydrocodone mixed with Acetaminophen is a byproduct of the distillation process of tar in 1893. A research conducted has revealed compelling evidence that Vicodin is an efficient cough depressant and a potent painkiller. However, doctors assert that continuous use of Vicodin has led to a tolerance that has slowly built up in patients and users which eventually leads to addiction (Aschenbrenner, 2014). Vicodin was officially approved as a prescription drug in 1978 by Knoll Pharmaceuticals although later on in 1983, a genetic version of the drug was released. Efforts have been made to criminalize the drug due to the increased rate of dependency. 

Hydrocodone was primarily developed in the early 1920’s by a pharmaceutical company in German. Initially, doctors used codeine as significant analgesia despite its long list of health implications. Consequently, in a plight to invent a more efficient painkiller, the company reacted oxygen with codeine which resulted in the composition of Hydrocodone (Moore et al. 2006). The study conducted on Vicodin revealed that the anesthesia had less severe repercussions compared to other generally applied painkillers. In America, Hydrocodone was the first introduction in the 1920s when the government through the appropriate institutional bodies discovered that out of all the other pain relievers Hydrocodone had a smaller probability of addicting users than its counterparts. Therefore, Hydrocodone has been asserted to be effective in controlling pain, repressing coughs, and giving the patient a profound feeling of euphoria when induced. Benitez, Roush, McMurphy, Kukanich, & Legallet (2015) assert that, although a majority of the population may choose to abuse the drug due to its euphoric feeling, scientists are confident that the rate of addiction to the public is insignificant. However, 30 years later from the discovery of the drug, the rate of dependence has been on the constant rise. 

Given its ready availability, numerous people have found easy access to the Hydrocodone increasing the drug’s dependability. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration reports, at least 136 million individuals have prescribed the drug in the year 2013, and the number has further risen notably in America since Hydrocodone is the most preferred analgesia (Trescot, Krashin, & Murinova, 2013). Unfortunately, the group of the society found to be constant users of Hydrocodone is the professionals. Although, the addiction may be experienced by all members of the community regardless of the gender, age, economic statuses, and ethnicities. In the year 2012, about 5 million people were reported to be using Hydrocodone for non-medical functions. Youths between the ages of 16 and 18 years have been argued to be one of the leading demographic groups to abuse the drug (Moore et al. 2006). Those individuals that are addicted to Hydrocodone should not ignore the problem as the aftermath may be detrimental. 

Hydrocodone is mostly abused in America. Many world nations have discouraged the prescription of Vicodin to prevent the adverse effects of addiction. America has maintained its position regarding the drug and instead increased the supply of the Hydrocodone to meet the increased demand (Jones, Lurie, & Throckmorton, 2016). The cost of Hydrocodone is said to vary with the type of medication administered. For instance, Vicodin is sold at the price range of $ 5 to $15 in a 30 tablet prescription. Vicoprofen is sold at 90 tablets for $90 to $ 140 while Zohydro is the most expensive with prices hiking to about $470 to $540 for 60 capsules (Trescot, Krashin, & Murinova, 2013). The medications are priced according to the strength and capacity in which the drug works. Individual pills are, however, sold in the street for as much as $20 increasing the accessibility of the drug to unauthorized individuals increasing the intensity of the matter. It is pertinent to establish that Hydrocodone is not an illegal substance that should be taken as mandated and not for leisure. 

Hydrocodone causes numbness, a lethargic reaction, and the general sense of well being. Moore et al. (2006) elaborates that primary function of Hydrocodone is to relieve pain by altering the normal functioning of the central nervous system. Just like all other analgesic drugs, Vicodin does not reduce the amount of pain but instead manipulates t/he normalcy of receptors to change the patient’s perception of the amount of pain they are feeling. It is precisely due to this reason that practitioners only recommend people to take Hydrocodone when in excruciating pain (Jones, Lurie, & Throckmorton, 2016). The brain contains a component called Dopamine which is highly desirable for producing positive feelings. Vicodin generally increases the quantities of Dopamine in the brain. The induced high and impaired judgment may be presumed to be pleasurable by many people hence increasing the rate of dependency of the drug. 

The Food and Drug Administration has since then approved a new Vicodin pill that contains restrained doses of Acetaminophen to prevent users from abusing the drug. The new version of the drug which was produced by Purdue Pharmaceutical, Hysingla ER, provides pain relief like other analgesic drugs. Hysingla ER has proven effectual in helping patients manage pain when they are incapable handling the pain (Benitez, Roush, McMurphy, KuKanich, & Legallet, 2015). The capsule is purposed to be taken once a day and is hard to break, crush, and is also insoluble. Therefore, users who crush the drug to inhale it or inject it into their system will find it difficult to abuse Hysingla ER. Purdue Pharmaceuticals has collaborated with the Food and Drug Administration to produce drugs that deter abuse and dependence amongst users. FDA comprehends the greater need for the change in the pharmaceutical industry to produce prescription painkillers that are impossible to abuse (Benitez, Roush, McMurphy, KuKanich, & Legallet, 2015). Also drugs produced in this era have fewer side effects compared to drugs produced in the early 20 th century. Given the production of the crush-resistant Vicodin, the rate of abuse for the drug has significantly decreased with time. 

Short term and long term consumption of Vicodin has both desirable and undesirable implications on the users. Some of the short-term effects include dizziness, slowed breathing, loss of consciousness, confusion, mood swings, and irrationality. It is the prolonged consequences of Hydrocodone intake that seem to perturb. As explained, Vicodin affects the central nervous system causing a high that is considered pleasurable. Thus, prolonged used of Vicodin causes individuals to be dependent and addicted to the drug. Also, Hydrocodone impairs one judgment and has resulted in the deterioration of relationships and death in the case of accidents Vicodin also prevents the efficient circulation of blood to the brain and other crucial body organs. Hydrocodone is thus an effective drug that when applied within the stringent health measures helps in the recovery of the patient. 

It does not come off as a surprise that Hydrocodone is one of the most recommended anesthesias in the health sector. The drugs have been proven by scientists to be the most effective as compared to their counterparts and are also said to be less addictive compared to the likes of morphine. The drug is mostly used in surgical procedures where the patient is in immense pain. Hydrocodone functions not by actually reducing the pain but instead changing the perception of the user on pain. Vicodin affects the normal functioning of the brain inducing a sense of high that is found pleasurable by many individuals. However, it is due to this derived sensation that the drug has become one of the most abused in the world. Unlike morphine, Hydrocodone is easily found as pharmacies sell it as an over the counter drug. Therefore, in some instances, individuals may take the drug without a proper prescription from the doctor. 

References  

Aschenbrenner, D. S. (2014). Hydrocodone: A New Recommendation and A New Drug.  American Journal of Nursing ,  114 (2), 24. doi: 10.1097/01.NAJ.0000443797.94461.ab 

Benitez, M. E., Roush, J. K., McMurphy, R., KuKanich, B., & Legallet, C. (2015). Clinical efficacy of hydrocodone-acetaminophen and tramadol for control of postoperative pain in dogs following tibial plateau leveling osteotomy.  American Journal of Veterinary Research ,  76 (9), 755-762. doi:10.2460/ajvr.76.9.755 

Jones, C. M., Lurie, P. G., & Throckmorton, D. C. (2016). Effect of US Drug Enforcement Administration’s Rescheduling of Hydrocodone Combination Analgesic Products on Opioid Analgesic Prescribing.  JAMA Internal Medicine ,  176 (3), 399. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2015.7799 

Moore, C., Feldman, M., Harrison, E., Rana, S., Coulter, C., Kuntz, D., … Soares, J. (2006). Disposition of Hydrocodone in Hair.  Journal of Analytical Toxicology ,  30 (6), 353-359. doi:10.1093/jat/30.6.353 

Trescot, A., Krashin, D., & Murinova. (2013). Extended-release hydrocodone – gift or curse?  Journal of Pain Research , 53. doi:10.2147/jpr.s33062