OxyContin
® (
oxycodone ER) is a long-acting pain reliever. It is a narcotic and is a "controlled substance" in the United States. It comes in the form of extended-release tablets and is approved for treating moderate to severe pain.
There are many benefits of OxyContin. The drug is often used for pain relief and cough suppression. As an opioid, however, the medication also produces some negative effects. These effects include (but are not limited to):
- Decreased breathing (slow or shallow breathing)
- Certain changes in the circulatory system
- Slowing of the digestive tract
- Release of histamine (which often causes itching)
- Physical dependence.
Another OxyContin benefit is that the tablets are specially designed to release the medication slowly over 12 hours. This provides patients with the convenience of taking the medication just twice a day (instead of several times a day, as is necessary with short-acting
oxycodone) and provides for more steady pain control.
(Click OxyContin to learn more about OxyContin's benefits, to find out how this medication works, and for information on when and how to take the drug.)
