As far as the opioid crisis is concerned, there are a ton of misconceptions about these prescription drugs, what they do, and what they are. Regardless of the fact that so many people have opioid addictions right now, it could be argued that a large number of them – even though they’re addicted to the substance – just don’t do their research on the pills they are so often consuming. The only thing that most seem to really know about Opioids is that they are painkillers and that there is an unprecedented number of people addicted to them.

Still, one thing that we see pop up occasionally is whether or not Oxycontin and Percocet are the same medicine. Like many prescription meds and their illegal street drug counterparts, there isn’t really a basic knowledge about Percocet, OxyContin, or opioids in general. Today, we are here to clear up the differences between these two substances.

What is Percocet?

Percocet is a combination of oxycodone and paracetamol (better known as acetaminophen) that is used as a painkiller in situations where the patient is experiencing what is described as moderate to severe pain. Its generic counterpart is called Endocet. Percocet was first approved for medical purposes by the US FDA in 1976.

Percocet, and other acetaminophen-combined painkillers, were implicated in the deaths of over 400 people annually. What is interesting about this is that it’s the acetaminophen in Percocet that was blamed for those overdoses in 2009 rather than the opioids. However, in more recent years Percocet has been noted as dangerous for being an opioid rather than the dangers previously known about acetaminophen. Nevertheless, Percocet is still prescribed as a painkiller regardless of those dangers.

What is OxyContin?

Unlike the painkiller Percocet, OxyContin is made up of only one ingredient: oxycodone. It is not as fast acting as Percocet and, as such, is more often prescribed to those who are experiencing constant and less-severe types of pain. OxyContin hit the market with FDA approval in 1996 and was heavily pushed by doctors for decades.

One of the main reasons that OxyContin (and opioids in general) have become such a problem both here in Newport Beach and the United States has to do with the way they were originally marketed. Before anyone knew better, doctors and the public were told by pharmaceutical reps that opioids like OxyContin did not have any kind of addictive properties. The actual addictiveness was apparently either overlooked by the Food and Drug Administration as there doesn’t seem to be any documentation from them about the real long-term effects of the drug. Either way, Oxy hit the market, which arguably led to millions of americans becoming addicted to opioids.

Today, both drugs have been deemed schedule II drugs and their pharmaceutical manufacturers have been implicated in a handful of lawsuits regarding addiction and overdose.

If you or a loved one has developed an addiction to OxyContin, Percocet, opioids, or any other substance, contact us today for rehab in Newport Beach. We are ready to help end the substance use that feels like it is taking over your life.