Composition: Capsules, oxycodone hydrochloride 5mg, 10mg and 20mg; liquid, oxycodone hydrochloride 5mg/5ml; concentrate, oxycodone hydrochloride 10mg/ml.
Presentation: Capsules, 5mg are orange/beige, 10mg are white/beige and 20mg are pink/beige; liquid, clear/straw coloured solution; concentrate, clear orange solution.
Storage and stability: Do not store above 30C.
Action, indications, contraindications: As for Oxycontin.
Dosage and administration:
Adults over 18 years and elderly, take at 4-6 hourly intervals. Usual starting dose for opioid naïve patients or patients presenting with severe pain uncontrolled by weaker opioids is 5mg 4-6 hourly. The dose should be titrated, as frequently as once daily if necessary, to achieve pain relief. A few patients may require higher doses. The majority will not require a daily dose greater than 400mg.
Adults with mild to moderate renal and mild hepatic impairment, the starting dose for opioid naïve patients is 2.5mg oxycodone six-hourly given as Oxynorm liquid.
Children under 18 years, should not be used.
Precautions, side effects, etc: As for Oxycontin. Sunset yellow, a constituent of both the 5mg capsule and the concentrate, can cause allergic-type reactions. This is more common in people who are allergic to aspirin. The ink on the capsules contains a small amount of benzoic acid (a mild irritant to the skin, eyes and mucous membranes).
Net price: 56 capsules 5mg £10.56, 10mg £21.12, 20mg £42.24; liquid 250ml £9.43; concentrate 120ml £45.25.
Supplier: Napp Pharmaceuticals (see above).
Legal class: POM.
| Correction The legal category of Oxynorm preparations is CD(Sch 2) POM. |