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Safety and Efficacy of Controlled‐Release Oxycodone: A Systematic Literature Review
Author(s) -
Rischitelli D. Gary,
Karbowicz Sean H.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
pharmacotherapy: the journal of human pharmacology and drug therapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.227
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1875-9114
pISSN - 0277-0008
DOI - 10.1592/phco.22.11.898.33628
Subject(s) - oxycodone , immediate release , controlled release , medicine , opioid , analgesic , morphine , methadone , pharmacy , dosing , narcotic , oxymorphone , pharmacology , anesthesia , clinical trial , intensive care medicine , receptor , family medicine
Prescriptions for controlled‐release oxycodone, a narcotic analgesic, recently contributed to a dramatic increase in pharmacy costs for a large private insurance company. To determine whether this agent offered clinical benefits over other available drugs that would justify its significantly greater cost, a systematic review of 16 clinical trials was undertaken. The review suggested that immediate‐release and controlled‐release preparations of oxycodone have similar efficacy and comparable side effect profiles. Controlled‐release oxycodone has the advantage of less frequent dosing than immediate‐release oxycodone; however, other agents may be dosed infrequently at much lower costs. For patients requiring a controlled‐release opioid treatment, controlled‐release morphine and methadone should be considered because they appear to be as effective as oxycodone and cost considerably less. Controlled‐release oxycodone may be appropriate for some patients, particularly if they cannot tolerate other controlled‐release or long‐acting opioid analgesics.