Drug Profile: Percocet

Manufacturer: Endo Pharmaceuticals

Generic Name: acetaminophen and oxycodone

Forms:  Tablets

Appearance (What does Percocet look like?):  Round tablets with imprints of “DuPont,” “PERCOCET,” and “5” with white or bluish color (325mg/5 mg); oval/elliptical-shaped tablets in yellow color with imprints of “PERCOCET,” “10,” and/or “10-325” (325 mg/10 mg and 650 mg/10 mg); elliptical-/oval-shaped tablets with imprints of “PERCOCET,” “7.5,” and/or “7.5/325” with orange color; oval-shaped tables with imprints of “2.5” or “PERCOCET” (325 mg/2.5 mg).

Pharmacological Class: Combination of narcotic and analgesic.

Medical Uses:   Used to treat moderate to severe pain.

Mechanism:  Exact mechanism of oxycodone is still being debated in the research community; works on one or more opioid receptors in the brain.  Acetaminophen inhibits an enzyme called cyclooxygenase (COX) and, thereby, reduces or eliminates pain and inflammation.

Availability: Schedule II (Read Drug Scheduling and the DEA)

FDA Pregnancy Category:  Category C (Read FDA Pregnancy Drug Categories)

Addiction Potential:  Very high

Possible Side Effects:  swelling (mouth, throat, tongue, face), problems breathing, hives, disorientation, seizures, urinary problems, blurry vision, nausea, constipation, stomach pain, yellow skin or eyes, impaired concentration.

Possible Withdrawal Symptoms: (like those associated with oxycodone – Read Oxycontin Withdrawal) gastrointestinal distress (e.g., diarrhea, vomiting, nausea), anxiety and agitation, convulsions.

Warning Signs of Abuse: using a higher dose than prescribed, taking more frequently than prescribed, taking for a longer period of time than the doctor advises, overly concerned about a dwindling supply, taking the drug in an inappropriate way (e.g., crushing it into a powder and snorting it – Read Method of Administration: Why “How” Matters), changes in appearance and behavior, signs of Percocet overdose or severe Percocet-related side effects.

Signs of Overdose:  poor pulse, coma, blue lips, dark urine, stomach pain, shallow breathing, light-headedness, small pupils, poor appetite, sweating, jaundice (skin or eyes), clammy skin, no breathing, confusion.

Controversies Related to Percocet:

• Because Percocet contains acetaminophen (Tylenol), which can cause serious liver damage that can lead (and has led) to the need for a liver transplant or death if a person takes too much, in 2009, an advisory panel of the Food and Drug Administration recommended that such combination medications (which also includes Vicodin) be re-evaluated and/or taken off the market.
• As a drug that often ends up in home medicine cabinets, Percocet could potentially be abused by adolescents who are looking for an easy high (Read Parents & Pills: Unintentional Drug Dealers).

How Can I Help Someone Who Is Abusing or Addicted to Percocet?

Although the Drug Enforcement Administration recognizes Percocet as having legitimate medical uses for the treatment of pain, it is closely regulated because the possibility of a person developing an addiction to this medication is high.  If you personally have a problem with Percocet (Read Self-Evaluation: Is There a Problem?), realize that acknowledging it is perhaps the most important first step.  eDrugRehab can assist you in locating the right rehab facility for you. Likewise, family and friends can also contact us to arrange for a professionally directed intervention to convince their loved one that they need to get treatment for their addiction (Read Intervention: Is It Time?). Why wait another day?