Clinical applications of oxymorphone

Oxymorphone (14-hydroxydihydromorphinone), a pyridine ring unsubstituted pyridomorphinan, a semisynthetic opioid analgesic derived from thebaine, first developed in the year 1914 and has been available as oxymorphone hydrochloride parenteral forms in the United States since 1959, when the US Food and Drug Administration approved it. Over the years, it has been used for the alleviation of moderate-to-severe pain. Pharmacological considerations, new and traditional formulations, clinical indications, and recent study populations are examined in this review. Specific considerations for oxymorphone interactions are focused on as well as specific side effects and end organ considerations. Although discovered many decades ago and used as parenteral formulation, the newer oral preparations of oxymorphone (immediate release and extended release) that were approved in 2006 can provide additional options for customizing therapy to accommodate various patient needs. This newer oral formulation could make this powerful agent an important drug in the armamentarium of the healthcare provider caring for patients with pain.