What Are The Effects Of Lortab?

Lortab is the trade name of an oral prescription drug combination of hydrocodone and acetaminophen. Hydrocodone is a narcotic pain reliever; acetaminophen is a non-narcotic pain reliever. All medications have a variety of effects on the body. The therapeutic effects are the desired activities of the drug; the unwanted actions are called the adverse effects or side effects. While the medical community divides drug effects into these groups for practical purposes, all actions a drug has on the human body are part of its effects profile. Doctors prescribe Lortab (hydrocodone/APAP) primarily for its pain-relieving effects. However, this drug combination has many other effects on the body.

Pain Relief

A primary therapeutic effect of hydrocodone/APAP is pain relief. Hydrocodone has narcotic pain relief properties. It mimics the effects of the brain's naturally occurring pain relievers. Hydrocodone dulls the sensation of pain in addition to altering the response to pain. The result is increased pain tolerance. Acetaminophen is a non-narcotic pain reliever. It decreases the production of prostaglandins, chemicals produced by the body that contribute to the production of pain.

Cough Suppression

Hydrocodone is an antitussive--a cough suppressant. Like other opium-related chemicals, hydrocodone acts within the brain to suppress coughs. It is sometimes prescribed for its antitussive effects.

Fever Reduction

The acetaminophen in Lortab reduces fever. Its inhibition of prostaglandin production causes this effect as prostaglandins contribute to the initiation and propagation of fever.

Drowsiness and Mental Fogginess

Hydrocodone causes drowsiness and dulled thinking, as do all narcotics. Complex thought is slowed and concentration is diminished. Physical reaction time is delayed and judgment may be impaired. An artificial, drug-induced euphoria may occur.

Respiratory Depression

Hydrocodone has direct suppressing effects on the respiratory center in the brain. The breathing rate slows, and the body is less responsive to increased blood levels of carbon dioxide that typically drive the respiratory rate. Hydrocodone overdose may cause respiratory failure due to this effect.

Decreased Gastrointestinal Motility

Involuntary muscle contractions in the stomach and intestines propel food through the digestive system. All narcotic medicines including hydrocodone slow the involuntary muscular activity of the gut. Stomach emptying slows and transit time through the intestines increases, often resulting in constipation. Since narcotics are currently used primarily for pain relief, gastrointestinal slowing is considered an adverse effect. However, for hundreds of years before opium-derived compounds were assigned the role of pain relievers, they were used as antidiarrheal medicines.

Nausea and Vomiting

Hydrocodone has nauseant effects, which can lead to vomiting. The drug interacts with the nausea and vomiting center in the brain, stimulating these effects. Repeated dosing often causes tolerance to this effect of the medication.

Dilation of Peripheral Blood Vessels

The peripheral blood vessels--those in the extremities and near the skin surface--dilate in response to hydrocodone. This causes the skin to warm and appear pinker. The effect is especially noticeable in the face and neck.