Manufacturers: Purdue pharma lp, Purdue pharmaceutical products lp +10 more
Hydromorphone is an opioid analgesic used to treat moderate to severe pain when the use of an opioid is indicated.
Hydromorphone is an opioid analgesic used to treat moderate to severe pain when the use of an opioid is indicated.
Hydromorphone is an opioid agonist that can bind to different types of opioid receptors. Its analgesic effect is suggested to be related to the effect on the mu-opioid receptors. It has been reported to also have a minor affinity for the delta and kappa receptor. On the other hand, it is known to act at the level of the medulla which allows it to depress the respiratory drive and suppress cough. The onset of action of the immediate release form of hydromorphone is achieved in 15-20 minutes and having a lasting effect for 3-4 hours while the extended-release form onset of action is of 6 hours lasting for about 13 hours.
Hydromorphone is indicated for the management of moderate to severe acute pain and severe chronic pain. Due to its addictive potential and overdose risk, hydromorphone is only prescribed when other first-line treatments have failed. The WHO has proposed a three-step ladder for the management of pain in which it is suggested to start with a non-opioid medication followed by addition of weak opioids to the non-opioid treatment for moderate pain and finishing in the use of strong opioids such as hydromorphone along with the existing regimen for cases of severe pain. Off-label, hydromorphone can be administered for the suppression of refractory cough.
3 associated conditions
