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The treatment of pain ailments is an important element in the therapy of many diseases that are associated with their occurrence. In the first line, the drugs belonging to the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are most often used, but when they turn out to be insufficient to bring relief to the patient, opioids are administered.
Oxycontin – an opioid pain reliever
It is believed that the use of natural opioid substances has been present in the human species since 300 BC. Man used these substances, as is the case today, for the treatment of pain and for the purposes of achieving euphoric states by representatives of the religious life of primitive communities.
One of the stronger opioids on the pharmaceutical market is Oxycontin, which comes in the form of prolonged-release tablets. There are 5 available variants of the preparation, differing in the content of the active substance:
- Oxycontin 5 mg (contains 5 mg oxycodone hydrochloride)
- Oxycontin 10 mg (contains 10 mg oxycodone hydrochloride)
- Oxycontin 20 mg (contains 20 mg oxycodone hydrochloride)
- Oxycontin 40 mg (contains 40 mg oxycodone hydrochloride)
- Oxycontin 80 mg (contains 80 mg oxycodone hydrochloride)
Like all opioid drugs, Oxycontin is dispensed with a prescription Rpw (formerly known as a pink prescription).
Oxycontin – second degree opioid pain reliever
Despite such a long history of pharmacological use of opioids, it was not until the nineteenth century that it turned out to be a breakthrough – it was then possible to obtain morphine, a powerful natural painkiller. It took scientists 100 years to learn about the effects of opioids on the human body. The development of this knowledge is accompanied by a bad opinion of this type of drugs as causing addiction and constituting substances dangerous to human life.
Indeed, opioids can be addictive with prolonged use, and their interaction with other drugs and agents can be extremely dangerous. That is why taking opioid medications should always take place under the close supervision of a doctor and only in the prescribed doses.
Oxycontin – action
The active substance in Oxycontin – oxycodone – was first synthesized at the beginning of the 80th century in Germany. It is a codeine derivative with a strong analgesic effect and very good absorption (approx. XNUMX% in the case of oral administration of the drug), affecting the μ-opioid receptors in the brain, spinal cord and peripheral organs. The drug is metabolized in the intestines and liver, so it is very important to use it only in people who do not have bowel or liver disorders. Oxycodone is used in medicine in the form of its hydrochloride. The use of Oxycontin may affect the body’s hormonal balance. Like all opioid drugs, Oxycontin carries the potential for numerous side effects, the most serious of which is respiratory depression. It is a state of suppressing the activity of the respiratory center: breathing becomes shallow and then apnea, which leads to death if artificial ventilation is not applied. The risk of respiratory depression occurs in the elderly and those treated with drugs that depress the nervous system.
Other possible side effects include constipation and sleepiness, and itchy skin. Opioid drugs are used when the benefits of their use far exceed the risk of problems arising from their use. If the doctor decided to include Oxycontin in the therapy, it should be assumed that he considered all possible risks for the patient, considering pain management as the most important treatment factor, significantly improving the patient’s condition.
Oxycontin – contraindications
Oxycontin crosses the placenta and into breast milk, therefore it should not be used during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. Occasionally, a doctor will prescribe a woman to use oxycodone during labor – a baby born in this way should be closely monitored for respiratory depression, which may even result in the death of the baby. For the same reason, Oxycontin should not be used during lactation.
An obvious contraindication is hypersensitivity to oxycodone (the active ingredient of Oxycontin) and any component of Oxycontin tablets. Do not use the drug in people with severe respiratory failure, lung diseases and severe bronchial asthma. Oxycontin must not be taken by patients with diagnosed elevated levels of carbon dioxide in the blood plasma and intestinal obstruction (including paralytic obstruction).