Oxycodone [Dihydrohydroxycodeinone]

The difference in the recommended dosages for oral oxycodone and rectal oxycodone pharmacotherapy is due to the effects of first-pass hepatic metabolism on the oxycodone oral dosage forms. Oxycodone is a semi-synthetic opiate with several actions qualitatively similar to morphine. Oxycodone pharmacotherapy has been commonly associated with dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea, and vomiting. Concurrent oxycodone pharmacotherapy and pharmacotherapy with other opiate analgesics, sedative-hypnotics, or other drugs that produce CNS depression may result in additive CNS depression. Oxycodone overdosage requires emergency symptomatic medical support of body systems with attention to increasing oxycodone elimination. The opiate antagonist, naloxone, usually is required to reverse the respiratory depression associated with oxycodone and other opiate analgesic overdosage. Adjunctive oral oxycodone pharmacotherapy usually is adequate for the symptomatic management of acute moderate to severe pain or for chronic, severe, cancer pain. The signs and symptoms of oxycodone overdosage resemble those associated with other opiate analgesic overdosage.