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Oxycontin is a prescription opiate-like analgesic that is used to relieve moderate to severe pain. Oxycontin is categorized under schedule II controlled substances by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). Schedule II controlled substances are drugs that have high abuse potential. With that said, Oxycontin dosage must be calculated and reviewed accurately before it can be administered to the patient. Some factors that may affect Oxycontin dosage include the following: history of analgesic use, characteristics of pain, response to Oxycontin treatment, and concurrent medications.

History of analgesic use – Individuals who have taken Oxycontin in the past, or other medications similar to it, may require a higher Oxycontin dosage. Doctors might give a higher Oxycontin dosage to patients with history of taking the drug because these individuals are more likely to have developed a bit of tolerance to such medication.

Characteristics of pain Evaluation of the characteristics of pain is very important before starting a patient on Oxycontin. Knowing the history, intensity, duration, and aggravating conditions will help the doctor determine the right Oxycontin dosage for a particular patient. Bear in mind that pain is a subjective experience, which means that only the person who suffers from the pain can best describe it. What may be extremely painful for one person may not be perceived as severe pain by someone else. This is the reason why Oxycontin dosage is not the same for all patients and why individualized treatment is a common practice.

Response to Oxycontin treatment Pain management with Oxycontin usually starts at very low doses. Periodic assessment and adjustment of Oxycontin dosage must be performed accordingly, depending on the persons response to treatment. The doctor may slowly increase the dose if the initial dosage does not do its job of relieving the pain.

Concurrent medications When other medications (especially sedatives and muscle relaxants) are taken concurrently with Oxycontin, Oxycontin dosage need to be adjusted accordingly. Bear in mind that Oxycontin can slow down brain activity and thus must be carefully assessed when taken simultaneously with other CNS depressants.

Because of its high potential for abuse, Oxycontin dosage must be seriously reviewed and evaluated on a daily basis.

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