OxyContin are designed to provide controlled delivery of oxycodone over a period of 12 hours ("OxyContin,"" 2537), and this allows for it to be administered every 12 hours ("OxyContin,"" 2540).
The initial doses should be low, about 10mg, ("OxyContin,"" 2540) and the pills can be used safely with non-opioid analgesics ("OxyContin,"" 2540). The drug shouldn't be administered to pregnant women unless a physician makes the decision that the benefits outweigh the risks ("Oxyfast,"" 2541). Safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients or those under the age of 18 has not been established ("OxyContin,"" 2539), and this medicine poses no risk to the health care providers beyond that of any controlled substance ("OxyContin,"" 2541).
In recent times, researchers discovered that the body produces its own natural opioids. These opioids bind to special receptors on the neurons that transmit pain signals to the spinal cord and brain (Hendricks). Opiates bind to the same receptors to diminish pain and play a role in the analgesic effect of the drug ("OxyContin,"" 2537). Once it is absorbed, oxycodone is distributed to skeletal muscle, liver, intestinal tract, lungs, spleen, and brain ("OxyContin,"" 2537). Also, opioids do not damage the liver and kidneys or lead to ulcers (Hendricks).
Oxycodone is a pure agonist opioid whose principal therapeutic action is analgesia ("OxyContin,"" 2537), and like all pure opioid agonists there is no ceiling effect to the analgesia ("OxyContin,"" 2537). Some other therapeutic effects include anxiolysis, euphoria and a feeling of relaxation ("OxyContin,"" 2537). It also produces respiratory depression by direct action on the brain stem respiratory centers ("OxyContin,"" 2537), and this involves reduction in responsiveness of brain stem respiratory centers to increases in carbon dioxide tension and to electrical stimulation ("OxyContin,"" 2537). Other effects include cough reflex by direct effect on cough center in medulla and meiosis or pinpoint pupils even in total darkness ("OxyContin,"" 2537).
