Drug | Brand name (United States) | Sample initial dose in opioid-tolerant adults | Serum half-life (hours) | Duration of analgesic effect (hours) | Comments |
Oral, long-acting preparations | |||||
Hydrocodone | Hysingla ER | 20 mg orally every 24 hours | 7 to 9 | 24 |
|
Zohydro ER | 10 mg orally every 12 hours | 13 | ≤12 in patients with non-cancer back pain | ||
Hydromorphone | Exalgo | 8 mg orally every 24 hours | 11 | 24 |
|
Hydromorph Contin (available in Canada) | 3 mg orally every 12 hours | Not specified | ≥12 | ||
Morphine | MS Contin | 15 mg orally every 12 hours | Not specified | 8 to 12 |
|
Kadian | 30 mg orally daily in 1 or 2 divided doses | 11 to 13 | 12 to 24 | ||
Arymo ER | 15 mg orally every 8 or 12 hours | Not specified | 8 to 12 | ||
Oxycodone | OxyContin, Oxaydo | 10 mg orally every 12 hours | 4.5 | 8 to 12 |
|
Xtampza ER | 9 mg orally every 12 hours | 5.6 | ≤12 |
| |
Oxymorphone | Generic only | 5 mg orally every 12 hours | 9 to 11 | 12 |
|
Transdermal | |||||
Fentanyl | Duragesic | 12 or 25 mcg per hour, patch applied every 72 hours | 17 following patch removal | 48 to 72 Some analgesic effect may persist for up to 12 hours following patch removal |
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