Oxycodone Formulations and Prescribing Guidelines

Chemical and Pharmaceutical Nomenclature

• The "IR" designation refers to the release mechanism (immediate-release), distinguishing it from extended-release (ER) or controlled-release (CR) formulations, as noted by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network 1, 2, 3

Practical Clinical Distinctions

• Immediate-release oxycodone HCl has an onset of action within 10-30 minutes and duration of 3-6 hours, according to Clinical and Molecular Hepatology 4
• Extended-release oxycodone HCl (OxyContin CR) has onset around 1 hour and duration of 10-12 hours, as reported by Clinical and Molecular Hepatology 4

Prescribing Considerations

• The CDC recommends initiating opioid therapy with immediate-release formulations rather than extended-release products, as stated in MMWR Recommendations and Reports 5
• When writing prescriptions, specify both the release mechanism (IR vs ER) and the dose to avoid confusion, as advised by MMWR Recommendations and Reports 5