From: mmanzo@mail.sas.upenn.edu (Marco Manzo)
Newsgroups: alt.drugs
Subject: FAQ list-Opioid Analgesics
Date: 29 May 1994 19:16:02 GMT
Message-ID: <2sapli$nca@netnews.upenn.edu>


As suggested in the "Hydromorphone, Oxymorphone" thread, here is a
sort of FAQ-list/summary of the opioid pain killers available in the
United States.

CATEGORY I.  STRONG AGONISTS-- SEVERE PAIN
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
generic name    trade name      recommended     duration        Controlled
                                dosage          of action       substance
                                                                category

HYDROMORPHONE   DILAUDID        2-4 mg. every   4-5 hours       Schedule II
                                4-6  hours.                     narcotic
dosages avail: 1,2,3,4,10 mg.tabs    
Parenteral (injection) 1,2,3,4 mg./mL ampules

LEVORPHANOL     LEVO-DROMORAN   2-3 mg. every   4-5 hours       Schedule II
                                6-8 hours                       narcotic
dosages: 2 mg. tabs; injection: 2 mg./mL

MEPERIDINE      DEMEROL         50-150 mg.      2-4 hours       Schedule II
                                every 3-4 hours                 narcotic
dosages: 50,100 mg. tabs; 
injection: 25,50,75,100 mg. vials

METHADONE       DOLOPHINE       40 mg. every    4-6 hours       Schedule II
dosages: 5,10,40 mg. tabs;      24 hours;                       Narcotic
injection: 10 mg./mL            2.5-10 mg.injection   the oral form is used
                                every 3-4 hours       only in detoxification
                                                      programs

MORPHINE SULFATE                varies: 10-30 mg. 4-5 hours     Schedule II
dosages: 10,15,30 mg. tabs;     every 4 hours;                  Narcotic
injection: 2,4,5,8,10,15 mg/mL  30 mg. controlled 
                                release tablets
                                every 8-12 hours
                                
OXYMORPHONE     NUMORPHON       5 mg. supppository  3-4 hours   Schedule II
dosages: 5 mg. suppos.          every 4-6 hours;                Narcotic
1, 1.5 mg/mL injection          1-1.5 mg. injection
                                every 4-6 hours.

STRONG AGONISTS FOR INJECTION ONLY:

FENTANYL        SUBLIMAZE       0.05-0.1 mg.       1-1.5 hours  Schedule II
dosages: 0.05 mg./mL for        repeat in 2 hours               Narcotic
injection                       if necessary

SUFENTANIL      SUFENTA         1-30 micrograms/kg.             Schedule II
dosages: 50 micrograms          injected as needed for          Narcotic
per mL in 1,2,5 mL ampules      anesthesia

ALFENTANIL      ALFENTA         0.5-3 micrograms/kg./minute     Schedule II
dosages: 500 micrograms/mL      IV infusion in balanced anesthesia
ampules for injection


CATEGORY II -- MILD TO MODERATE AGONISTS  - MODERATE TO SEVERE PAIN
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GENERIC NAME    TRADE NAME      RECOMMENDED     DURATION OF     CONTROLLED
                                DOSAGE          ACTION          SUBSTANCE
                                                                CATEGORY
                                                
CODEINE  SULFATE OR PHOSPHATE   15-60 mg. every  3-4 hours      Schedule II
dosages: 15,30,60 mg. tablets;  4-6 hours               (when combined with
30,60 mg./mL for injection                           acetominophen or asprin
                                                        it is a
                                                        Schedule III Narcotic)

OXYCODONE       PERCODAN (with asprin)
                PERCOCET (with tylenol)
dosages: 5 mg. oxycodone per tablet
                                5 mg. every     3-4 hours       Schedule II
                                6 hours                         Narcotic

HYDROCODONE     VICODIN,LORTAB  5-7 mg. every   3-4 hours       Schedule III
BITARTRATE      LORCET, HYDROCET 4-6 hours                      Narcotic
dosages: either 2.5, 5, or 7 mg.
hydrocodone with either asprin or tylenol


CATEGORY III -- WEAK AGONISTS -- MILD TO MODERATE PAIN
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GENERIC NAME    TRADE NAME      RECOMM. DOSAGE    DURATION OF   CONTROLLED
                                                  ACTION        SUBSTANCE
                                                                CATEGORY

PROPOXYPHENE    DARVON          50-100 mg. every  4-5 hours     Schedule IV
PROPOXYPHENE                    4 hours                         Narcotic
NAPSYLATE       DARVOCET N-50
                DARVOCET N-100


CATEGORY IV -- MIXED AGONISTS/ANTAGONISTS -- MODERATE TO SEVERE PAIN
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GENERIC NAME    TRADE NAME      RECOMM. DOSAGAE  DURATION OF    CONTROLLED
                                                 ACTION         SUBSTANCE
                                                                CATEGORY

PENTAZOCINE     TALWIN-NX       50-100 mg.        3 hours       Schedule IV
dosages: 50 mg. tablets;        every 3-4 hours;                Narcotic
30 mg./mL in 1 and 2 mL         30 mg. injection (Pentazocine is mixed
ampules for injection           every 3-4 hours  with Naxolone [an opiate
                                            antagonist] to prevent crushing
                                     of tabs. for intravenous injection)
OTHER MIXED AGONIST-ANTAGONISTS:

BUPRENORPHINE   BUPRENEX                                        Schedule V
dosage: 0.3 mg./mL ampules for injection.

BUTORPHANOL     STADOL
dosage: 1 and 2 mg./mL vials and syringes for injection
Not a controlled substance because of the strong antagonist efficacy

NALBUPHINE      NUBAIN
dosage: 10 and 20 mg./mL vials and syringes for injection
Not a controlled substance because of the strong antagonist efficacy