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| Trade Name(s): Dilaudid |
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| Type of Drug: Hydromorphone is an opioid analgesic. |
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| How Drug Works: Hydromorphone relieves moderate to severe pain and is similar to morphine. It binds to opioid receptors in the brain and central nervous system (CNS), altering the perception of pain as well as the emotional response to pain. |
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| How Drug Is Given: Hydromorphone is given in a number of ways. It can be given by mouth as a pill or a liquid. As an injection, it is given under the skin or in a vein as a short infusion or a continuous infusion with extra medicine that you can take when needed (patient controlled analgesia or PCA). It can also be given as a rectal suppository. Take the pill or liquid with a full glass of water, with or without food. Make sure to shake the liquid before pouring the dose. When taking a suppository, open the package and dip the tip in water. If you are right–handed, lie down on your left side, bring your knees up near your chest, and insert the suppository in your rectum about an inch. Stay in this position for about 15 minutes, then get up and wash your hands well. The dose depends on how well the medicine controls your pain. The medicine will cause constipation, so make sure you take a laxative regularly to prevent this. Keep the medicine in a tightly closed container away from heat and moisture and out of the reach of children and pets. |
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| How Should I Take This Drug? Take this drug exactly as directed by your doctor. If you do not understand the instructions, ask your doctor or nurse to explain them to you. |
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| Read the following information. If you do not understand it or if any of it causes you special concern, check with your doctor. | ||||
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| Before taking this drug, tell your doctor if you are taking any other prescription or over-the-counter drugs, including vitamins and herbals. | ||||
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| Should I avoid any other medications, foods, alcohol, and/or activities? Your prescription and nonprescription medications may interact with other drugs, causing a harmful effect. Certain foods or alcohol can also interact with drug products. Never begin taking a new medication, prescription or nonprescription, without asking your doctor or nurse if it will interact with alcohol, foods or other medications. Some drug products can cause drowsiness and may affect activities such as driving. |
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| Precautions: Take the smallest effective dose to prevent development of tolerance and physical dependence. Tolerance (larger doses needed to give the same effect) can develop as well as physical dependence (body goes into withdrawal if drug is suddenly stopped). This is different from addiction, which is psychological dependence (take drug for psychological effect, not for relief of pain). Tell your doctor or nurse if you still have pain even though you are taking the medicine as directed. Since hydromorphone affects the central nervous system, it is important not to take other drugs or substances that are known CNS depressants such as alcohol, sedatives, and hypnotics. Acetaminophen or aspirin may be combined with hydromorphone to increase the pain relief action. You should be on a bowel regimen to prevent constipation while you are taking opioid pain relievers. Talk to your nurse or doctor about this. |
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Tell all the doctors, dentists, and pharmacists you visit that you are taking this drug.
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Side Effects: |
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More Common Side Effects:
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Less Common Side Effects:
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Rare Side Efects:
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| Side Effects/Symptoms of the Drug: Drink fluids (8 oz every hour in sips) to prevent constipation. Also, try to eat foods high in fiber such as bran. You may need to take a stool softener, bulk–forming agent, and/or laxative to help keep your bowel movements regular. Call your doctor or nurse right away if you have not moved your bowels in 2 days. Abruptly stopping the drug can cause anxiety, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, and tiredness. The drug should be gradually discontinued. |
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Other side effects not listed above can also occur in some patients. Tell your doctor or nurse if you develop any problems. |
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| FDA Approval: Yes |
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| Note: This information was adapted from the American Cancer Society's Consumers Guide to Cancer Drugs. Copyright © 2004, Jones and Bartlett Publishers. This information may not cover all possible uses, actions, precautions, side effects, or interactions, is not intended as medical advice, and should not be relied upon as a substitute for consultation with your doctor who is familiar with your medical needs. For more information, contact your American Cancer Society at 1-800-ACS-2345. | ||||
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