It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Hydrocodone. (Discuss) Vicodin (Hydrocodone or dihydrocodeinone) is most commonly seen as a white tablet with the name “Vicodin,” “Vicodin ES,” or “Vicodin HP” imprinted on one side. It shares its characteristics with many other drugs in chemistry and form; such drugs are also pain killers and may be marketed as Anexsia, Anolor DH5, Bancap HC, Dolacet, Lorcet 10/650, Lorcet HD, Lorcet Plus, Lortab, Lortab 10, Lortab 5/500, Lortab 7.5/500, Lortab Elixir, Norco, T-Gesic, Vicodin, Vicodin ES, Vicodin HP, and Zydone. [1] Contents 1 Manufacturers 2 Scheduling 3 Surgery 4 Interactions and Contraindications of Vicodin 5 Use During Pregnancy 6 Side Effects 7 Overdose Symptoms 8 Addiction 9 Withdrawal Symptoms 10 Alcohol and Abuse 11 Vicodin and Popular Culture 12 External Links Manufacturers Manufacturers of Vicodin (generic or otherwise) include: Abbot Laboratories, Allscripts Healthcare Solutions LLC, Amerisource Health Services Corp, Cardinal Health, Drx Pharmaceutical Consultants Inc, Eckerd Corp, Hospira Inc, Knoll Laboratories Div Knoll Pharmaceutical Co, Pdrx Pharmaceuticals Inc, Physicians Total Care Inc, Rx Pak Div of Mckesson Corp, Sandhills Packaging Inc and Watson Labs. [2] At any rate, Vicodin production reportedly approaches 20 tons annually. [3] In the United States, Vicodin production is regulated in part by the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) of 1970. This guarantees that all manufacturing, importing, possession, and distribution of drugs is to be looked over and regulated by the federal government who are also responsible (along with the Department of Justice and state governments) for the conviction and sentencing of anyone who breaks drug laws. [4] Scheduling Vicodin was put into Schedule III along with anabolic steroids, ketamine, paregoric, xyrem, marinol, and hydrocodone/codeine (when “compounded with an NSAID” or with paracetamol); these drugs have high psychological dependence and low to medium physical addiction. [5] Surgery Vicodin is most commonly prescribed for persons experiencing pain after surgery or intense pain. It helps calm a person down and increases their ability to relax and forget about painful ailments (which speeds up recovery). Interactions and Contraindications of Vicodin Drugs that should be avoided in order to decrease the chance of side effects are isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), tranylcypromine (Parnate), or other monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI’s) 14 days prior to use. Acetaminophen should also be avoided so as to decrease chances of destroying the liver. In addition, alcohol increases the drowsiness already caused by Vicodin and may result in a person to become unconscious or much worse, dead. Aside from alcohol, other drugs that induce drowsiness should also be avoided (i.e. antidepressants, antihistamines, pain killers, muscle relaxants, etc.) so as to decrease chances of contacting Vicodin’s severe side effects. Furthermore, if a person experiences Addison’s Disease, kidney disease, gallbladder disease, liver disease, complications with the thyroid, severe head injuries, asthma or alcohol abuse Vicodin should not be taken for fear of worsening the condition. Vicodin is also not recommended for people under 18 or over 60 years of age. Use During Pregnancy The FDA has put Vicodin in category C. This category includes any and all drugs which have not been put to the test in pregnancies therefore the effects of the drug on newborns have not been determined. But the FDA does ensure a warning to breastfeeding mothers telling them that Vicodin does pass into breast milk, which can have adverse effects on nursing babies. [6] Side Effects Side effects for Vicodin include an allergic reaction, weak breathing, seizures, clammy skin, severe weakness, dizziness, unconsciousness, yellowing of eyes or skin, unusual fatigue, bleeding, or bruising, constipation, dry mouth, nausea, vomiting, decreased appetite, muscle twitches, sweating, itching, hearing loss, decreased urination, and decreased sex drive. [7] Vicodin (in terms of hydrocodone) also has depressant effects on the central nervous system. [8] However, some of the less mundane effects can be desirable effects that are sought after by many drug addict victims. Those effects include a great euphoria and drowsiness.contrary to popular belief it is no more but rather less potent than marijuana in the way that it does not create as big of high [9] Overdose Symptoms Symptoms of a Vicodin overdose may include slow breathing, cold and clammy skin, dizziness, weakness, loss of consciousness, confusion, small pupils, tiredness, coma, nausea, seizures, vomiting, and sweating as well as death. [10] Addiction If no serious side effects occur and a person continues to use Vicodin even after there’s no need for it a person can, and will most likely, become dependent on it. Addiction for Vicodin is similar to most addictions; cravings for the drug take hold of a person and may even supersede a person’s need for food or water.[11] The hydrocodone within Vicodin is cause for its abuse. Hydrocodone is derived from an opiate; the chemical effects of Vicodin are similar to those of heroin. It travels up neurological pathways and blocks the perception of pain. But because it is derived from an opiate, Vicodin itself becomes highly addictive. It increases the activity of the neurotransmitter, dopamine, which causes a strong euphoria that many find pleasurable. [12] This pleasurable feeling is so addictive that it is believed a person may get hooked within the first week of taking the drug, making it that much harder for a person to become sober after becoming an addict. [13] Withdrawal Symptoms Withdrawal symptoms are mostly physical, and can range from simple diarrhea and vomiting to cold flashes, muscle pain, bone pain, and restlessness. [14] Alcohol and Abuse Vicodin's effects of disorientation, relaxation, and euphoria have been tampered with by mixing them with other drugs, but the most common method has been by mixing them with alcohol. Combined, the drunken effects of alcohol are heightened and brought upon faster. The Do It Now Foundation states that, "Vicodin and other prescription narcotics constitute the most-abused group of prescription drugs, according to the National Household Survey, released in 2001. Of the four million Americans who reported misusing prescription drugs the previous year, nearly 65 percent misused prescription pain relievers. Vicodin use has soared in recent years, partly fueled by the fame of its star user base." The number of 12-17 year-old users jumped 127 percent between 1996 and 2000, according to one national survey. [15] Vicodin and Popular Culture Like Quaalude and Valium in the 1970's, Vicodin has become not just a drug but a symbol, and its presence in a lyric or a screenplay can be seen as a comment on the obsessions of the early twenty-first century. Some of the places where the brand name has appeared in popular culture include: In the television series House, M.D., Gregory House (played by Hugh Laurie) is a brilliant but difficult doctor who takes massive amounts of Vicodin to manage chronic pain. In the short-lived, controversial television series The Book of Daniel, Aidan Quinn plays an Episcopal priest who is hooked on Vicodin. The metalcore band Atreyu have a song called "Five Vicodin Chased with a Shot of Clarity." Terra Naomi, the singer-songwriter, recorded a "Vicodin Song" which includes the lyric "I've got Vicodin, do you want to come over?" Several songs by Eminem mention Vicodin. In the song "Feel Good Hit of the Summer" by Queens of the Stone Age, the phrase "Nicotine, valium, vicodin, marijuana, ecstasy and alcohol. Cocaine" is repeated over the song. The song "Diary Of A San Fernando Sexx Star" by Butch Walker has the lyric "So you popped a vicodin and ran away from everyone, and everything you thought you knew." Bill Engvall has a joke called 'Vicodinland'. An amusing account of his time on Vicodin after his hernia. External Links http://www.drugs.com/vicodin.html http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/agency/csa.htm http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/pubs/scheduling.html http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/21cfr/cfr/1300/1300_01.htm Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicodin" Categories: Articles to be merged | Analgesics | Schedule II controlled substances