Dilaudid Vs Percocet | Key Differences, Uses & Side Effects

Pain management is an essential aspect of health care for people who are suffering from acute or long-term pain. Sometimes, to reduce pain, doctors may suggest opioid drugs, which are often used to treat moderate to severe pain. Percocet and Dilaudid are two different medicines which are frequently prescribed by the doctors for managing different types of pain conditions. Both of these medications are mostly used to treat moderate to severe pain. Knowing the differentiation between Dilaudid and Percocet is essential for people who might be prescribed either of these drugs, so they can use them wisely.

Both of these drugs are commonly used due to their effectiveness, they function differently, have different strengths and have different dosage, side effects etc. These medicines must be used carefully and under a doctor’s supervision to optimize effectiveness and reduce the chances of the side effects. Always put safety first and only purchase these drugs from registered online pharmacies. Do not purchase these medications from unreliable sources.

Here in this blog post, we will discuss the differences between these two medications, covering everything from their modes of action, dosages to their interactions, side effects, efficacy and more. Patients and healthcare professionals can choose the best medication for particular needs by carefully considering these factors.

Difference Between Dilaudid and Percocet Drugs

A comprehensive comparison between these two pain management drugs are provided here:

What Are Dilaudid and Percocet? A Basic Overview

Before buying any one of them, it is important to know about these drugs.

Overview of Dilaudid Medication: It is an effective opioid analgesic which is mostly prescribed to treat severe pain. The active component of Dilaudid is hydromorphone hydrochloride which is a far more potent derivative of morphine. Both injectable and oral forms are available of this drug. Injectable form of this medicine commonly used in hospitals to treat individuals who are in severe pain or recuperating from surgery. It can also be used to treat chronic pain in some cases.

Overview of Percocet Pill: This is a combination drug that includes acetaminophen and oxycodone. The medicine is available in numerous forms including tablets. Moreover, it is suggested by the physician for managing acute to severe pain. Oxycodone is a narcotic pain reliever whereas acetaminophen helps reduce fever and pain. They work well together to treat conditions, like fever, chronic pain, wounds, surgeries.

How Dilaudid and Percocet Work in the Body?

These medicines help in treating pain but their mechanism of action is different due to their active components.

Dilaudid: Hydromorphone is an active component in this drug. This component acts by binding to opioid receptors in the brain and spinal cord. These receptors are responsible for sending pain signals in the spine. The active component of this drug relieves pain and produces euphoria by binding to these receptors and preventing pain from being transmitted. Due to its high potency, dilaudid acts quickly.

Percocet: The drug contains acetaminophen and oxycodone as active components. Oxycodone functions similarly to hydromorphone by binding itself to opioid receptors. While acetaminophen reduces fever and pain by altering the way of chemical substances in the brain. Although it is usually regarded as less effective than Dilaudid, the combination of active components improves the capacity of this medicine to relieve pain

Medical Uses: When Are Dilaudid or Percocet Prescribed?

Doctors may recommend these two painkillers for several purposes, including pain as well.

Dilaudid Uses:

• Severe pain
• Cancer-related pain
• Chronic pain management

Percocet Uses:

• Moderate Pain
• Pain from injuries
• Dental pain
• Post-operative pain
• Chronic Pain

Dosage Strengths and Forms: Dilaudid vs Percocet

These medications may have different dosages. Inform your doctor before altering your daily dosage.

Dilaudid Dosage Strengths: It comes in several formulations with different dosage strengths. Some of them are listed here.

• Oral tablets – 2, 4 and 8 mg.
• Injectable form – 1 mg/mL, 10 mg/mL etc.
• ER formulation – 8, 12 and 16 mg.

Percocet Dosage Strengths: The following are some of the strengths in which Percocet tablets commonly comes in:

• Percocet 2.5 / 325 mg
• Percocet 5 / 325 mg
• Percocet 7.5 / 325 mg
• Percocet 10 / 325 mg

The acetaminophen contained in Percocet always remains at 325 mg to reduce the liver damage condition because of excessive acetaminophen intake.

Effectiveness

Both drugs are effective in treating pain but their approaches are different.

Dilaudid Effectiveness:

This medicinal drug is primarily used in some cases where people are suffering from extreme pain because it is generally considered to be more effective than Percocet. When treating severe pain, it usually acts more quickly and may be more successful. But, its strength also increases the chances of misuse and habit-forming.

Percocet Effectiveness:

Percocet is very effective for moderate pain. But it is not as strong as Dilaudid. The medicine may be a better choice for people who have less severe pain during surgery or injury. This is still a strong opioid, but it also has a lower risk of respiratory depression than Dilaudid.

Drug Interactions: What Not to Take With Dilaudid or Percocet

Percocet and Dilaudid have a number of possible drug interactions. Without a doctor’s supervision these drugs should not be taken with other drugs because doing so increases the risk of overdose and respiratory depression.

Dilaudid: It has several potential drug interactions, including:

• MAO inhibitors
• Diphenhydramine
• Alcohol
• Benzodiazepines
• CNS Depressants
• Antidepressants
• Antipsychotics

Percocet: This drug ‘s interactions are influenced by both oxycodone and acetaminophen:

• Alcohol
• CNS depressants
• Antibiotics
• Antifungals

Side Effects of Dilaudid and Percocet

Since both drugs are categorized as Schedule II controlled substances adverse effects are possible. A person’s history of substance abuse, dosage and frequency of use are some of the variables that can affect how severe side effects are.

Dilaudid Side Effects

Due to its potency, the side effects from Dilaudid can be particularly challenging and should be done under medical supervision.

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Flushing
• Itching
• Sweating
• Dizziness
• Insomnia
• Unusual dreams
• Changes in Vision
• Dry mouth
• Shallow, weak, or slow breathing
• Trouble breathing
• Slow heart rate
• Confusion
• Lightheadedness or fainting
• Convulsions
• Chest pain
• Extreme drowsiness
• High body temperature
• Trouble walking
• Stiff muscles
• Mood swings
• Difficulty urinating

Percocet Side Effects

Although the side effects of this medication are not as severe as Dilaudid, stopping it can still be extremely inconvenient.

• Constipation
• Itching
• Headache
• Blurred vision
• Dry mouth
• Sweating
• Loss of appetite
• Vomiting or nausea
• Circulatory depression
• Low blood pressure
• Respiratory depression
• Apnea
• Respiratory arrest
• Noisy breathing
• Sighing
• Shock
• Death
• Unusual bruising or bleeding
• Confusion
• Unusual thoughts
• Problems with urination
• Upper stomach pain
• Clay-colored stools
• Jaundice
• Dizziness
• Weakness

Safety Tips When Using Opioid Painkillers

Some important safety measure of both drugs are provided below:

• Individuals should take a prescription from a doctor before using these two pain-relief medicines.
• If women are planning for pregnancy or breastfeeding then must tell a consulted doctor.
• Drink an adequate amount of water while consuming these two drugs.
• After taking these medications, secure the rest of the medicine in a safe place.
• People should take these painkillers as per the doctor’s administration.
• If anyone has other severe health problems like asthma disease etc., using Percocet drug, must inform their doctor about it.
• Avoid taking Dilaudid drug along with inhibitors, when individuals have consumed an MAO inhibitor, within the last 14 days.
• Anyone who is experiencing an allergic reaction to any one of them, you should consult with the doctor.
• You should swallow the Dilaudid tablets whole. An overdose may occur, if the tablets are crushed, chewed or dissolved because these actions may cause a hazardous release of the medicine.
• People who take these two drugs shouldn’t drink alcohol because it can result in a fatal stroke or even death.

Is Percocet stronger than Dilaudid?

Dilaudid is typically stronger because it contains hydromorphone as an active component which is more potent. Direct comparisons are difficult though because Percocet’s acetaminophen component may increase its efficacy for specific pain types.

Dilaudid and Percocet are frequently chosen by the individuals, depending on the patient’s tolerance, the desired duration of action and the degree of pain.

Conclusion

Both drugs play significant roles in pain management. But there are some clear distinctions between them in the ongoing Dilaudid and Percocet debate. Dilaudid is more effective and appropriate for extreme pain but there is a greater chance of addiction and overdosing. Even though Percocet is less strong and it can still be a good treatment for mild to moderate pain. This combination drug has a lower risk of dangerous side effects, but misuse of this medicine still carries serious risks.

When consuming any of these medicines, you should always follow the instructions which are given by your personal doctor. Never take both drugs with other opioid medicines without consulting your doctor. Either drugs can effectively reduce pain perception, but they require careful treatment by a qualified physician to minimize their side effects.