OxyContin vs. Oxycodone: Key Differences & Similarities

Two of the most prominent painkiller opiates at the center of the opioid epidemic are OxyContin and oxycodone, both of which are potent, dangerous and potentially deadly

The use of opioids, includingprescription painkillersandheroin, has become so pervasive that it’s called an epidemic. Two of the most prominent painkiller opiates at the center of the opioid epidemic areoxycodoneand OxyContin, both of which are potent, dangerous and deadly.

Despite the risks of OxyContin and oxycodone, they are still frequently prescribed to treat pain in various situations, including acute and chronic pain. Because oxycodone is a short-acting drug, it is usually prescribed foracute pain, like sprains, broken bones and accident-related trauma. OxyConti is a time-released medication, so it’s more commonly prescribed forchronic painresulting from cancer, arthritis, nerve pain and fibromyalgia.

Oxycodone vs OxyContin: How Are They Different?

The main difference between oxycodone and OxyContin is how they are absorbed in the body and how long they last.OxyContinis a controlled-release tablet, meaning the medication is released slowly in the body over the course of 12 hours, so it only needs to be taken twice daily.Oxycodoneis an immediate-release formulation. The total amount of the drug is available quickly after ingestion and is taken four to six times daily to prevent pain consistently.

The most common brand names of oxycodone are Percocet and Percodan. OxyContin is a brand name and is not available in generic form. Since its introduction over two decades ago, OxyContin wasmarketed with a warningagainst crushing the tablets for consumption, since doing so causes a rapid release of the drug after ingestion. This warning unintentionally alerted people how to misuse this medication, making this drug a central focus in the opioid epidemic.

OxyContin became available as a prescription in 1995, and the drug was marketed across the country to different types of physicians for a broad range of pain management issues. In the years that followed, aflood of OxyContin prescriptionsin many different communities made this drug easy to access and abuse.

What Is Oxycontin?

OxyContinis the brand name for a time-released version of oxycodone, a narcotic analgesic used to treat pain. It can treat pain related to injuries that require long-term pain management, cancer pain and even arthritis.

Doses of OxyContinrange from 10 mg to 80 mg of oxycodone in the time-released formulation, which provides pain relief for up to 12 hours. OxyContin initially stood out in the opioid market because of its ability to provide constant pain relief, unlike other shorter-lasting opioids.

While there is legitimate value in using OxyContin to treat various forms of pain, it also has a high potential for abuse. People who misuse OxyContin cancrush these tabletsbefore snorting or diluting and injecting it for a quicker, more powerful effect than they’d experience taking this drug orally.

What Is Oxycodone?

Oxycodoneis a semi-synthetic opioid that’s derived from the Persian poppy, and it can relieve moderate to severe pain.

Oxycodone is available as a single-ingredient medicine, but it’s also used in various combination medicines; for example, it is often paired with acetaminophen for more effective pain-fighting abilities. Oxycodone is the active ingredient in not only OxyContin but also in drugs likePercocetandPercodan, which are brand names of combination medicines.

Although these two drugs have the same main active ingredient, there are subtle differences between oxycodone and OxyContin that are worth noting, particularly with regards to how they are released in the body and the potential for abuse.

What’s the Difference Between OxyContin vs Oxycodone?

Oxycodone is a keyactive ingredientin the prescription brand name drug OxyContin, but what about the difference between OxyContin and oxycodone?

The primary difference is the fact that OxyContin istime-releasedand oxycodone isn’t. As a result, OxyContin can provide around-the-clock pain relief. OxyContin doesn’t have to be taken as often as oxycodone and the effects will last longer. Compared to OxyContin’s ability to treat pain for up to 12 hours, oxycodone usually lasts around four to six hours.

The time-release feature of OxyContin is a result of being prepared differently than oxycodone. OxyContin is strong, but it releases slowly into the bloodstream when taken as instructed.

Addiction and Dependence

Both OxyContin and oxycodone come with risks. When people take these drugs, as with any opioid, the brain is impacted in a way that facilitates addiction.Addiction is a disorderthat can occur with opioid use, since opioids release pleasurable chemicals into the brain. Eventually, the brain requires more of the drug to achieve the same effects.

In theory, OxyContin is less likely to cause addiction than oxycodone because it’s time-released, but this hasn’t necessarily proven to be the case since people crush the pills and administer them in other ways to get past the medication’s time-released mechanism.

Someexperts say OxyContinis the most widely misused prescription opioid in the United States because it has a strong dosage and is readily available. Many people say they experience a high similar to heroin when they crush OxyContin and snort it or inject it.

To sum up, the primary difference between OxyContin and oxycodone is the time-release feature of OxyContin, which can make it a longer-lasting pain medicine but can also make it more dangerous if it’s misused.

If you or a loved one struggles withOxyContinoroxycodone addiction, help is available.Contact The Recovery Villagetoday to speak to a representative about how addiction treatment could help you.