Percocet is a Class II prescription drug prescribed as a pain reliever for moderate to high acute pain. The main active ingredients of Percocet include oxycodone and acetaminophen. This blend classifies it as a narcotic analgesic, a highly addictive painkiller. Addiction and overdose remain the primary concerns of taking a drug of this nature.
Common Side Effects
According to the manufacturer Endo Pharmaceuticals, the most serious side effects associated with Percocet include respiratory depression, apnea (cease of breathing), circulatory depression, hypotension (low blood pressure) and shock. Less serious side effects that do not prove as detrimental to the body include lightheadedness, dizziness, drowsiness and sedation, nausea and vomiting. Euphoria and dysphoria have also been observed in patients taking Percocet.
Respiratory Depression
According to RxList, respiratory depression and eventual arrest can result from the opoid agonist oxycodone. Patients starting with a high initial dose of Percocet and debilitated patients present the highest risk of this side effect. Due to this fact, patients are recommended to start at an initial low dose and gradually work up to higher doses as needed. Patients with pulmonary disorders such as acute asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) should be monitored with the administration of Percocet and with new strengths of the medication taken. This is because even usual doses can cause apnea. Medical monitoring can save a patient by correctly administering a reversal agent such as naloxone hydrochloride.
Circulatory Depression
Opioid analgesics such as oxycodone which is found in Percocet prove capable of causing hypotension. Oxycodone reduces the amount of blood that the heart pumps out. This proves especially dangerous in patients that have lost blood. If a patient requires painkillers due to a wound that has incurred blood loss, Percocet would not prove an ideal analgesic. Circulatory shock from reduced cardiac output would become a large threat in such a situation and could cause the heart to stop completely.
Central Nervous System Stimulation
According to Endo Pharmaceuticals, oxycodone's primary therapeutic action is analgesia. However, aside from acting as a pain killer this opioid also has other effects on the brain when it acts on the receptors in the brain. This can cause sedation as well as lightheadedness and dizziness. Percocet can also induce mood changes that can cause either euphoria or dysphoria. This occurs because of the receptors that release endorphins that become affected by the drug. Acetaminophen, the second active ingredient in Percocet, can also cause dizziness and lightheadedness although it is not considered a drug in the opioid class.
References
- "Percocet (Oxycodone and Acetaminophen Tablets, USP)": Endo Pharmaceuticals: 2006
- RxList: Percocet (Oxycodone and Acetaminophen) Drug Information: Uses
Member Comments