Tiger Woods allegedly had two hydrocodone pills in his left pants pocket when he flipped his Land Rover and was subsequently arrested on DUI charges in Florida on Friday.
While the drug is prescribed to treat chronic pain or manage pain after surgery or injury, using it is not without risks — and serious ones at that.
A highly addictive opioid, hydrocodone is in the same class as oxycodone, morphine and fentanyl — with a high enough risk of abuse that prescriptions have dropped by as much as a third since their peak in 2011.
What is hydrocodone used for?
A semi-synthetic opioid, hydrocodone is often used to manage moderate to severe long-term pain when non-opioid painkillers aren’t efficient enough.
This drug blocks pain signals and increases dopamine, which can create a pleasurable, euphoric feeling.
Immediate-release hydrocodone is only available when combined with other ingredients like acetaminophen or ibuprofen for short-term relief. The drug is also used as a cough suppressant in certain medications.
Are there any dangerous side effects?
Hydrocodone can cause many side effects that run the gamut of severity.
Common ones include nausea, vomiting, constipation, increased sweating and decreased sexual desire.
More serious effects can involve shortness of breath, dizziness, extreme drowsiness, chest pain, trouble breathing, seizures, hallucinations and fever.
Taking hydrocodone with certain medications, like some antidepressants or alcohol, can increase the risk of breathing problems, sedation, coma or other serious, life-threatening problems.
Is hydrocodone addictive?
Hydrocodone can be addictive and habit-forming, since the euphoric feeling the drug produces can lead to physical dependence and abruptly stopping can cause withdrawal symptoms.
Its classification as a Schedule II drug by the DEA indicates it has high abuse potential but can still be prescribed for medical use.
Combination products with hydrocodone were reclassified from Schedule III to Schedule II in 2014 due to widespread abuse.
Immediately stopping hydrocodone can result in symptoms such as restlessness, sweating, chills, widened pupils, irritability, vomiting, muscle pain and rapid heartbeat.
Because of its addictive properties, hydrocodone shouldn’t be used “as needed” or for pain that only happens once in a while, but instead at the frequency and dosage it’s prescribed.
How does it compare to oxycodone and other opioids?
While hydrocodone and other opioids work in similar ways, their chemical structures, onset times and legal status differ.
Hydromorphone, another oral opioid, has the longest time to kick in (around 30 minutes), while hydrocodone and oxycodone start taking effect within 10 to 15 minutes.
Opioids also differ in potency, with codeine being weaker than hydrocodone, while heroin and oxycodone are much stronger.
Besides hydrocodone, fentanyl, oxycodone, morphine, hydromorphone, amphetamine and methamphetamine (also known as meth) are Schedule II drugs.
Heroin is a Schedule I drug.
Is there a black market?
Yes, hydrocodone is sold illegally on the dark web and on the street.
While prescriptions have dropped, there’s a still a high demand from those dealing with chronic pain who have finished their prescribed amount or those who have formed an addiction.
The risk of purchasing hydrocodone outside of a regulated pharmacy is counterfeit pills that contain deadly doses of fentanyl.
