morphine to oxycodone equivalence in chronic usage
Last reviewed 01/2018
Oxycodone
10mg oral oxycodone = 5mg SC oxycodone = 10mg SC morphine = 20mg oral morphine
Oxycodone has good oral bioavailability. The example above illustrates the dose conversion when oxycodone is regarded as being 2 times more potent than oral morphine.
Oxycodone is an alternative option if morphine is not tolerated.
Care should be taken to ensure clarity when prescribing immediate release capsules or modified release tablets. The modified release tablets also deliver a small dose which is immediate release.
Reference:
- 1) West Midlands Palliative Care Physicians (2012). Palliative care - guidelines for the use of drugs in symptoms control.
approximate relative potencies of opioids (opiates) in chronic usage in comparison to morphine