Hydrocodone and acetaminophen (oral route)

Hydrocodone and acetaminophen combination is used to relieve pain severe enough to require opioid treatment and when other pain medicines did not work well enough or cannot be tolerated.

Acetaminophen is used to relieve pain and reduce fever in patients. It does not become habit-forming when taken for a long time. But acetaminophen may cause other unwanted effects when taken in large doses, including liver damage. Although rare, use of acetaminophen has been reported to lead to liver transplantation and death, usually at high doses and when multiple acetaminophen-containing products have been used.

Hydrocodone belongs to the group of medicines called opioid analgesics (pain medicines). It acts on the central nervous system (CNS) to relieve pain, and stops or prevents cough.

When hydrocodone is used for a long time, it may become habit-forming, causing mental or physical dependence.