Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 11, 2026

Determining Pain Detection and Tolerance Thresholds Using an Integrated, Multi-Modal Pain Task Battery
Published on: April 14, 2016
Pharmacokinetic evaluation of hydrocodone/acetaminophen for pain management
1Department of Anesthesiology, University of Kentucky Medical Center, Lexington, KY, USA.
Abstract:
Hydrocodone/acetaminophen is not only the most commonly prescribed opioid in the United States but also the most common prescription medication written in America. Although original and early trials confirmed its ability to manage acute pain from surgery and musculoskeletal injury, it is perhaps more widely used today in the management of chronic pain. However, the opioid product was introduced for the management of moderate to moderately severe pain. Because it has been greatly abused as a prescription opioid medication, physicians need to be aware of the current knowledge regarding this analgesic drug. This review summarizes the current knowledge of the pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and metabolism of hydrocodone. Recent information regarding the possibility of hydrocodone as a prodrug for hydromorphone is discussed. The available clinical trials for the use of hydrocodone in the management of acute, chronic, and cancer pain are presented.
Related Concept Videos
Opioid Analgesics: Synthetic and Semisynthetic Opioids
Analgesia and Pain Management
Opioid Analgesics: Morphine and Other Natural Cogeners
Analysis of Population Pharmacokinetic Data
Model-Independent Approaches for Pharmacokinetic Data: Noncompartmental Analysis
One important characteristic of noncompartmental analyses is that drug exposure increases proportionally with increasing doses. This relationship...
Pharmacokinetic–Pharmacodynamic Relationship: Problems
