What is Codeine?

Codeine is an opioid analgesic that treats pain, diarrhea, and coughing. Codeine pills typically treat mild to acute degrees of pain. Codeine combinational medications such as codeine with acetaminophen (paracetamol) or codeine with an NSAID (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) such as aspirin or codeine with ibuprofen, may have more significant benefits than codeine itself.
Codeine is an oral medication with half an hour onset of action. It reaches peak concentration in the bloodstream within hours of intake. The therapeutic effects of codeine pills last for about four to six hours.
Codeine is a commonly used medication in the United States and the most widely used opioid in the world. List of Essential Medicines by the World Health Organization that contain the most effective and safe medicines required in a health system contain codeine.

f:id:onlinemedz:20191203181100j:plain

Codeine dosages

Doctors should individually set the dosage regime for codeine, as with other opiates. Healthcare providers should keep the following points in mind before selecting the initial dose for a patient:

  • Daily dosage and potency of any previously taken opioids
  • Degree of patient’s opioid tolerance
  • Medical status and general condition of a patient
  • Concurrent medications of the patient
  • Type and intensity of pain
  • Risk factors of dependence, addiction, and abuse

The general adult dosage for analgesia is 15-60 milligrams given every four hours, as needed for pain relief. Do not surpass a daily dose of 360 milligrams.
Titrate the initial dose based upon individual patient’s response. Increase the doses to get the maximum level of analgesia for each patient according to the tolerance of patient and severity of pain.
Gradually decrease the daily dosages when a patient no longer requires treatment to prevent symptoms of withdrawal in physically or psychically dependent patients.

Codeine side effects

The most frequent codeine side effects are dizziness, sedation, lightheadedness, drowsiness, nausea, vomiting, sweating, constipation, and shortness of breath.

Severe adverse reactions of codeine are circulatory depression, respiratory depression, respiratory arrest, and cardiac arrest.
Other codeine side effects include:

  • Digestive System: anorexia, abdominal cramps, dry mouth, diarrhea, pancreatitis, and gastrointestinal distress
  • Cardiovascular System: flushing, faintness, palpitations, hypotension, and syncope
  • Skin and Appendages: rash, urticaria, and sweating
  • Nervous System: drowsiness, anxiety, headache, fatigue, nervousness, insomnia, somnolence, shakiness, visual disturbances, vertigo, and weakness

Codeine addiction

Codeine effects such as euphoria, apathy, and relaxation lead to its abuse and addiction. Psychically or physically dependent patients often develop codeine addiction. An addiction to codeine develops from continued abuse of the medication. Codeine is the gateway medication to drug abuse, including morphine or even heroin addiction. Some common signs of abuse include:

  • Sleepiness
  • Slurred speech
  • Short attention span
  • Judgment impairment
  • Dilated pupils
  • Lack or loss of coordination
  • Apathetic behavior

Warnings related to Codeine use

Buy codeine online after reading these warnings associated with the use of codeine:

  • The primary risk of codeine pills is respiratory depression. Overdose of the medication can cause life-threatening respiratory depression.
  • Codeine is a Schedule II controlled substance under the Controlled Substance Act. It has the potential for abuse and misuse.
  • Codeine causes severe interaction with certain drugs to produce central nervous system depression, hypotension, respiratory depression, or other fatal symptoms.
  • Codeine elevates cerebrospinal fluid pressure, especially in the presence of intracranial lesions or head injury.
  • The medication can cause severe hypotension, orthostatic hypotension, and syncope in ambulatory patients.

f:id:onlinemedz:20191129213758p:plain