Oxycodone is a narcotic pain reliever that acts in the central nervous system to relieve pain. It is used to treat moderate to severe pain and is available in extended-release form for around-the-clock treatment of pain. According to drugs.com, oxycodone is not to be used for treating pain immediately after a surgery unless the patient was already taking oxycodone before the surgery. Some of the consequences of oxycodone include physical and psychological addiction, tolerance, constipation and respiratory depression.
Addiction
Drugs.com reports that long-term use of oxycodone results in the development of physical and psychological dependence. If oxycodone is stopped abruptly stopped after a patient has become physically and psychologically dependent, he may experience withdrawal symptoms, including restlessness, sweating, yawning, muscle pain, irritability, vomiting, insomnia, restlessness, loss of appetite and many more.
Tolerance
Tolerance occurs in patients consuming oxycodone for a prolonged period of time. Tolerance is the condition in which patient’s reaction to a drug decreases, so that larger doses are required to achieve the same effects. Drugs.com recommends the strict monitoring of oxycodone dosage by the physician.
Constipation
Constipation is often associated with oxycodone use, because the narcotic reduces the rate at which food passes through the intestines. Drugs.com advises patients to drink lots of water daily to prevent constipation while using oxycodone. Patients should also increase fiber intake to help with constipation.
Reduced Breathing Rate
According to drugs.com, oxycodone use results in respiratory depression, or a reduced breathing rate, by direct action on brain stem respiratory centers. Respiratory depression involves a reduction in the responsiveness of the brain stem centers both to increases in carbon dioxide tension and to electrical stimulation. Drugs.com reports that a single dose of oxycodone greater than 40 mg or a total daily dose greater than 80 mg may result in fatal respiratory depression in patients not tolerant to effects of oxycodone.
