Dilaudid (Hydromorphone Hydrochloride) Drug Information: Description, User Reviews, Drug Side Effects, Interactions

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February 8, 2012

Dilaudid

Chronic Pain »

Introduction to Chronic Pain

You know it at once. It may be the fiery sensation of a burn moments after your finger touches the stove. Or it's a dull ache above your brow after a day of stress and tension. Or you may recognize it as a sharp pierce in your back after you lift something heavy.

It is pain. In its most benign form, it warns us that something isn't quite right, that we should take medicine or see a doctor. At its worst, however, pain robs us of our productivity, our well-being, and, for many of us suffering from extended illness, our very lives. Pain is a complex perception that differs enormously among individual patients, even those who appear to have identical injuries or illnesses.

In 1931, the French medical missionary Dr. Albert Schweitzer wrote, "Pain is a more terrible lord of mankind than even death itself." Today, pain has become the universal disorder, a serious and costly public health issue, and a challenge for famil...

Read the Chronic Pain article »

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DILAUDID®
(hydromorphone hydrochloride) Oral Liquid
DILAUDID®
(hydromorphone hydrochloride) 8 mg Tablets

WARNING: DILAUDID (hydromorphone hydrochloride) ORAL LIQUID AND DILAUDID (hydromorphone hydrochloride) 8 MG TABLETS CONTAIN HYDROMORPHONE, WHICH IS A POTENT SCHEDULE II CONTROLLED OPIOID AGONIST. SCHEDULE II OPIOID AGONISTS, INCLUDING MORPHINE, OXYMORPHONE, OXYCODONE, FENTANYL, AND METHADONE, HAVE THE HIGHEST POTENTIAL FOR ABUSE AND RISK OF PRODUCING RESPIRATORY DEPRESSION. ALCOHOL, OTHER OPIOIDS AND CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM DEPRESSANTS (SEDATIVE-HYPNOTICS) POTENTIATE THE RESPIRATORY DEPRESSANT EFFECTS OF HYDROMORPHONE, INCREASING THE RISK OF RESPIRATORY DEPRESSION THAT MIGHT RESULT IN DEATH.

DRUG DESCRIPTION

DILAUDID (hydromorphone hydrochloride), a hydrogenated ketone of morphine, is an opioid analgesic.

The chemical name of DILAUDID (hydromorphone hydrochloride) is 4,5α-epoxy-3-hydroxy-17-methylmorphinan-6-one hydrochloride. The structural formula is:

DILAUDID®
(hydromorphone hydrochloride) Structural Formula Illustration

Each 5 mL (1 teaspoon) of DILAUDID ORAL LIQUID contains 5 mg of hydromorphone hydrochloride. In addition, other ingredients include purified water, methylparaben, propylparaben, sucrose, and glycerin. DILAUDID (hydromorphone hydrochloride) ORAL LIQUID may contain traces of sodium metabisulfite.

Each DILAUDID 8 mg TABLET contains 8 mg hydromorphone hydrochloride. In addition, the tablets include lactose anhydrous, and magnesium stearate. DILAUDID (hydromorphone hydrochloride) 8 mg TABLET may contain traces of sodium metabisulfite.

What are the possible side effects of hydromorphone (Dilaudid, Dilaudid-5)?

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

shallow breathing, slow heartbeat;
seizure (convulsions);
cold, clammy skin;
confusion;
severe weakness or dizziness; or
feeling light-headed, fainting.

Less serious side effects are more likely to occur, such...

Read All Potential Side Effects and See Pictures of Dilaudid »

What are the precautions when taking hydromorphone hydrochloride (Dilaudid)?

Before taking hydromorphone, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or if you have any other allergies. This product may contain inactive ingredients (such as sulfites), which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for more details.

Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: brain disorders (such as head injury, tumor, seizures), breathing problems (such as asthma, sleep apnea, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease-COPD), kidney disease, liver disease, mental/mood disorders (such as confusion, depression), personal or family history of regular use/abuse of drugs/alcohol, stomach/intestinal problems (such as blockage, constipation, diarrhea due to infection, paralytic ileus),...

Read All Potential Precautions of Dilaudid »

Last reviewed on RxList: 8/12/2011
This monograph has been modified to include the generic and brand name in many instances.