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Single-ingredient hydrocodone is available in the United States as an extended-release opioid analgesic for severe and persistent pain that requires an opioid and cannot be adequately treated with alternative options, including immediate-release opioids. Current extended-release tablets are Schedule II controlled substances.
read more about hydrocodone ...Hydrocodone is a full opioid agonist with relative selectivity for the mu-opioid receptor. Activation of mu-opioid receptors in the central nervous system changes pain perception and response. The extended-release formulation releases hydrocodone over a prolonged period for once-daily treatment.
Extended-release hydrocodone is reserved for severe and persistent pain requiring ongoing opioid treatment when alternative options are inadequate. It is not used as an as-needed analgesic. Current labeling does not establish safety and efficacy in pediatric patients.
Patients who are not opioid tolerant start at 20 mg by mouth every 24 hours. Doses are individualized and titrated cautiously according to pain control and adverse reactions. Tablets are swallowed whole one at a time with enough water and are not cut, crushed, chewed, or dissolved.
Extended-release hydrocodone carries a boxed warning for serious and life-threatening opioid risks, including addiction, abuse, misuse, respiratory depression, accidental ingestion, neonatal opioid withdrawal, drug interactions, and combined use with benzodiazepines or other central nervous system depressants. Crushing or dissolving the tablet can release a potentially fatal dose rapidly.
Hydrocodone is a full opioid agonist and a Schedule II controlled substance.
The labeled starting dose is 20 mg once every 24 hours.
No. The extended-release formulation is intended for severe persistent pain requiring ongoing treatment.
No. Crushing, chewing, or dissolving the tablets can cause rapid release and potentially fatal hydrocodone exposure.
DailyMed - HYSINGLA ER (hydrocodone bitartrate) tablet, extended release. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=b7d23ac2-e776-9f62-3290-c64c2d6eb353. Date Accessed October 1, 2026.
Hydrocodone. Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK501225/. Date Accessed October 1, 2026.
Hydrocodone. MedlinePlus. https://www.medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a614045.html. Date Accessed October 1, 2026.
Hydrocodone. PubChem. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/5284569. Date Accessed October 1, 2026.
Hydrocodone. StatPearls. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537288/. Date Accessed October 1, 2026.