Find patient medical information for Hydrocodone/Acetaminophen (Norco, Vicodin, others) on WebMD including its uses, side effects and safety, interactions, pictures. Vicodin is a prescription medicine best for relieving medium- to extreme pain. When other painkiller medicines fail to work, Vicodin dosage appears as a hero. It stops hitting the pain message to the brain and does this work with the help of hydrocodone, which is an opioid. Hydrocodone gets control over the brain’s opioid receptors. Vicodin and Norco are two brand-name drugs now only prescribed as generic versions, which are different dosage forms of hydrocodone and acetaminophen. Learn more about their similarities and differences. Hydrocodone is a narcotic pain -reliever and a cough suppressant, similar to codeine. Hydrocodone blocks the receptors on nerve cells in the brain that give rise to the sensation of pain. Acetaminophen is a non-narcotic analgesic (pain reliever) and antipyretic (fever reducer). Acetaminophen works by elevating the threshold to pain, that is, in order for pain to be felt, greater stimulation of. Vicodin was a strong prescription combination pain medicine containing an opioid, hydrocodone, in addition to acetaminophen, which was used to manage moderate to moderately severe pain, when other pain treatments such as non-opioid pain medicines did not relieve pain well enough, or were not tolerated. It has been discontinued, but generics are available. Vicodin is a pain medicine that combines the opioid narcotic hydrocodone and non-narcotic pain reliever acetaminophen. Get a detailed overview of Vicodin, including recommended Vicodin dosages, whether Vicodin is an opioid, and potential interactions for Vicodin and alcohol. Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of hydrocodone in the elderly. However, elderly patients are more likely to have confusion and severe drowsiness and age-related liver, kidney, heart, or lung problems, which may require caution and an adjustment in the dose for patients receiving hydrocodone. Vicodin is a prescription opioid medication used to treat the symptoms of moderate to severe pain. Learn about uses, dosage, side effects, drug interactions, warnings, overdose, and more. Vicodin was originally available in multiple strengths, including Vicodin ES and Vicodin HP, with varying hydrocodone and acetaminophen combinations. After the FDA’s 2011 acetaminophen limit, these formulations were reformulated or discontinued. Generic equivalents are now prescribed in standardized strengths of 5 mg, 7.5 mg, and 10 mg hydrocodone with 325 mg acetaminophen. Hydrocodone diversion and recreational use have escalated due to its opioid effects. [12] In 2009 and 2010, hydrocodone was the second most frequently encountered opioid in the pharmaceutical industry. In-drug evidence was submitted to U.S. federal state and local forensic laboratories as reported by the Drug Enforcement Administration 's National Forensic Laboratory Information System (NFLIS.