Millie asked
Please compare and contrast Percocet and Norco. What is the difference between them? I don't really understand.
At a glance
- Oxycodone & Hydrocodone are used for both acute and chronic pain management.
- Both oxycodone and hydrocodone are Federal Schedule II controlled substances.
- While both drugs are opioid agonists (specifically mu-agonists), oxycodone is generally considered more potent on a mg-mg basis.
- Both hydrocodone and oxycodone are available in multiple formulations. Most commonly, they are used in combination with acetaminophen for acute pain.
Answer
Thanks for your question!
Percocet and Norco are both opioid medications that are very similar. However, the main difference between them is that:
- Percocet contains both oxycodone and acetaminophen (also known as the active ingredient in Tylenol).
- Norco contains hydrocodone and acetaminophen.
As you can see, they both contain acetaminophen, so the only difference between them is that one contains oxycodone (Percocet) and one contains hydrocodone (Norco) component. Both drugs are chemically related and are used for similar indications. I discuss hydrocodone and oxycodone in more detail below.
Hydrocodone
Hydrocodone is in a class of medications known as opioid agonists and is very commonly used for the management of moderate to severe pain.
Any drug containing hydrocodone is a controlled substance. For many years, it was a Federal Schedule III controlled substance but in 2014, it was reclassified as a Federal Schedule II controlled substance.
Most hydrocodone products are combine it with acetaminophen, but it also is available as a single ingredient in such products as Zohydro & Hysingla (both of which are extended-release products).[1]
While effective for pain management, hydrocodone does have significant risks as the drug can be abused and cause dependence. When used as directed for short periods of time, it is very effective for pain management. Most commonly it is used for acute pain, postoperative pain but is also used in extended-release forms for chronic pain.
Oxycodone
Oxycodone is also a very commonly used medication for the management of moderate to severe pain. On a milligram-to-milligram basis, it is more generally accepted that it is more potent than hydrocodone and is typically reserved for more severe pain.
Like hydrocodone, oxycodone is most commonly found in combination with acetaminophen but is available in extended-release formulations for chronic pain (Oxycontin). Oxycodone, like hydrocodone, is a Federal Schedule II controlled substance.[2]
References
- ^ Elsevier ClinicalKey: Hydrocodone/Acetaminophen Monograph
- ^ Elsevier ClinicalKey: Oxycodone/Acetaminophen Monograph
