Opioid analgesic: Class Overview and Comparison
Quick answer: Opioid analgesic are a class of medicines used for specific therapeutic indications. iMedic covers 20 opioid analgesic substances. Below is a comparison table linking to detailed pages for each.
Opioid analgesic on iMedic (20 substances)
| Substance | Primary indications | Mechanism | Common dose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depolan | Severe chronic pain, Cancer pain | Mu-opioid receptor agonist providing prolonged analgesia via sustained-release m | 10-200 mg every 12 hours (sustained-release) |
| Dolcontin | Severe chronic pain, Cancer pain | Mu-opioid receptor agonist (extended-release morphine) providing prolonged analg | 10-200 mg every 12 hours |
| Dolcontin Unotard | Severe chronic pain, Cancer pain | Once-daily extended-release mu-opioid receptor agonist (morphine) for sustained | 30-200 mg once daily |
| Dzuveo | Acute moderate-to-severe pain | Sufentanil is a potent synthetic mu-opioid receptor agonist providing analgesia | 30 mcg sublingual tablet as needed (min 1 hour between doses) |
| Fentanyl | Severe pain, Anesthesia adjunct | Potent synthetic mu-opioid receptor agonist | Variable: 12-100 mcg/h transdermal; 25-100 mcg IV |
| Fentanyl B Braun | Anesthesia adjunct, Severe pain | Potent synthetic mu-opioid receptor agonist (B. Braun injectable formulation) | 1-2 mcg/kg IV bolus; titrated for anesthesia |
| Fentanyl Basi | Severe chronic pain, Breakthrough cancer pain | Potent synthetic mu-opioid receptor agonist providing analgesia | Transdermal 12-100 mcg/h every 72h; varies by formulation |
| Fentanyl Ethypharm | Severe chronic pain, Breakthrough cancer pain | Potent synthetic mu-opioid receptor agonist providing analgesia | Transdermal 12-100 mcg/h every 72h; varies by formulation |
| Fentanyl Lavipharm | Severe chronic pain, Breakthrough cancer pain | Potent synthetic mu-opioid receptor agonist providing analgesia | Transdermal 12-100 mcg/h every 72h; varies by formulation |
| Hydromorphone | Severe pain, Cancer pain | Mu-opioid receptor agonist that inhibits ascending pain pathways | 2-4 mg every 4-6 hours oral; 1-2 mg IV/SC every 2-3 hours |
| Leptanal | Anesthesia adjunct, Severe pain | Fentanyl is a potent synthetic μ-opioid receptor agonist providing analgesia and | 0.05-0.1 mg IV (anesthetic doses vary widely) |
| Morfin | Severe pain, Cancer pain | Mu-opioid receptor agonist that inhibits ascending pain pathways and alters pain | 5-30 mg every 4 hours orally; 2-10 mg IV/IM/SC |
| Morphine | Severe pain, Cancer pain | Mu-opioid receptor agonist that inhibits ascending pain pathways and alters pain | 5-30 mg every 4 hours orally; 2-10 mg IV/IM/SC |
| Oramorph | Severe pain, Cancer pain | Morphine sulfate oral solution acts as a mu-opioid receptor agonist in the centr | 10-20 mg every 4 hours as needed |
| Oxycodone | Moderate to severe pain, Cancer pain | Mu-opioid receptor agonist producing analgesia via central nervous system inhibi | 5-15 mg every 4-6 hours as needed (IR) |
| Pethidine | Moderate to severe pain, Obstetric analgesia | Synthetic mu-opioid receptor agonist producing analgesia via central nervous sys | 50-150 mg IM/SC/IV every 3-4 hours as needed |
| Petidin | Moderate to severe pain, Obstetric analgesia | Synthetic mu-opioid receptor agonist producing analgesia via central nervous sys | 50-150 mg IM/SC/IV every 3-4 hours as needed |
| Sufenta | Anesthesia adjunct, Severe pain | Potent mu-opioid receptor agonist providing analgesia and anesthesia | 0.5-30 mcg/kg IV depending on procedure |
| Sufentanil | Anesthesia adjunct, Severe acute pain | Potent synthetic mu-opioid receptor agonist with rapid onset and short duration | 0.5-30 mcg/kg IV; 30 mcg sublingual tablet |
| Tramadol | Moderate to moderately severe pain | Weak mu-opioid receptor agonist with serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhib | 50-100 mg every 4-6 hours, max 400 mg/day |
About Opioid analgesic
Opioid analgesic share a common mechanism of action and clinical use. Specific dosing, side effects, contraindications, and drug interactions vary between individual substances within the class. Click any substance above for full prescribing information and patient guidance.
Common considerations across the class
- Indication-specific selection: Different members may be preferred for different conditions or patient populations
- Dose equivalence: Members of the same class are not always interchangeable on a 1:1 dose basis
- Drug interactions: Class members often share interaction profiles (e.g., CYP enzyme effects) but individual variation matters
- Side effects: Some side effects are class-wide; others are substance-specific
- Contraindications: Individual contraindications may not generalize across the class
Always consult the prescribing information for the specific medicine prescribed and discuss with your clinician.
Frequently asked questions
What are Opioid analgesic?
Opioid analgesic are medicines that share a common mechanism of action used for specific therapeutic indications. iMedic currently covers 20 substances in this class with detailed pages for each.
Are all Opioid analgesic interchangeable?
No. While medicines in the same class share a mechanism, they differ in potency, dosing, drug interactions, and tolerability. Switching between them is a clinical decision based on individual response, side effects, and treatment goals.
How do I choose between different Opioid analgesic?
Selection depends on the specific clinical indication, patient factors (age, comorbidities, kidney/liver function, other medications), tolerability of side effects, cost, and clinician preference. This is a prescribing decision.
Are Opioid analgesic available as generics?
Most well-established class members are available as generic alternatives, often substantially less expensive than brand-name versions while clinically equivalent. Newer members may still be brand-only.
Last reviewed: by iMedic Medical Editorial Team. Our editorial process.