Oxymorphone Hydrochloride: Brands, Price & Uses in Bangladesh

Oxymorphone Hydrochloride is a semi-synthetic opioid agonist indicated for the management of pain in adults, classified by formulation and strength of evidence as follows:

Established / FDA-approved uses

• Immediate-release tablets: Management of acute, moderate-to-severe pain where an opioid analgesic is appropriate and for which alternative treatments are inadequate.
• Extended-release tablets: Management of pain severe enough to require daily, around-the-clock, long-term opioid treatment, when alternative treatment options (non-opioid analgesics, opioid combination products) are ineffective, not tolerated, or inadequate to provide sufficient pain management. Not indicated for pain that is mild, intermittent, or expected to resolve quickly, and not indicated on an as-needed (PRN) basis.

Not established / not appropriate

• Not indicated for use in opioid-non-tolerant patients for extended-release formulations except as directed by a physician experienced in opioid titration.
• Not indicated for mild pain or for pain that can be managed with non-opioid analgesics.

Because Oxymorphone Hydrochloride is a Schedule/controlled opioid analgesic, it should be reserved for patients for whom alternative treatment options are inadequate.

General principles

Individualize the dose of Oxymorphone Hydrochloride based on the severity of pain, patient response, prior opioid exposure, and risk factors for addiction, abuse, and misuse. Use the lowest effective dose for the shortest duration consistent with treatment goals.

Immediate-release tablets (opioid-naive adults)

Extended-release tablets (opioid-naive adults)

Renal/hepatic impairment

Start at the lowest recommended dose in renal impairment and titrate slowly. In moderate-to-severe hepatic impairment, extended-release tablets are contraindicated for opioid-naive initiation in some labeling due to markedly increased bioavailability; immediate-release use requires a substantially reduced starting dose under close medical supervision.

Discontinuation

Do not discontinue abruptly after regular use; taper gradually to avoid withdrawal symptoms.

Common and serious adverse effects associated with Oxymorphone Hydrochloride include:

Very common / common

• Nausea, vomiting, constipation
• Dizziness, drowsiness, sedation, headache
• Pruritus (itching), sweating
• Dry mouth

Serious (seek prompt medical attention)

• Life-threatening respiratory depression (slow, shallow, or stopped breathing)
• Severe hypotension, syncope
• Adrenal insufficiency (with prolonged use)
• Serotonin syndrome (when combined with serotonergic drugs)
• Severe allergic reaction (rash, swelling of face/throat, difficulty breathing)
• QT-related or cardiac effects (rare)

Tolerance and physical dependence commonly develop with regular use; this is an expected physiological response and is distinct from addiction, but requires gradual tapering to discontinue.