Narcotic Analgesics and Aspirin (Systemic)

Category

• Analgesic

Description

Combination medicines containing narcotic analgesics (nar-KOT-ik an-al-JEE-zicks) and aspirin (AS-pir-in) are used to relieve pain. A narcotic analgesic and aspirin used together may provide better pain relief than either medicine used alone. In some cases, relief of pain may come at lower doses of each medicine.

Narcotic analgesics act in the central nervous system (CNS) to relieve pain. Many of their side effects are also caused by actions in the CNS. When narcotics are used for a long time, your body may get used to them so that larger amounts are needed to relieve pain. This is called tolerance to the medicine. Also, when narcotics are used for a long time or in large doses, they may become habit-forming (causing mental or physical dependence). Physical dependence may lead to withdrawal symptoms when you stop taking the medicine.

Aspirin does not become habit-forming when taken for a long time or in large doses, but it may cause other unwanted effects if too much is taken.

In the U.S., these medicines are available only with your medical doctor's or dentist's prescription. In Canada, some strengths of aspirin, codeine, and caffeine combination are available without a prescription.

These medicines are available in the following dosage forms:

Oral
• Aspirin, Caffeine, and Dihydrocodeine
  • Capsules (U.S.)
• Aspirin and Codeine
  • Tablets (U.S.)
• Aspirin, Codeine, and Caffeine
  • Tablets (Canada)
• Aspirin, Codeine, and Caffeine, Buffered
  • Tablets (Canada)
• Hydrocodone and Aspirin
  • Tablets (U.S.)
• Oxycodone and Aspirin
  • Tablets (U.S. and Canada)
• Pentazocine and Aspirin
  • Tablets (U.S.)
• Propoxyphene and Aspirin
  • Capsules (Canada)
• Propoxyphene, Aspirin, and Caffeine
  • Capsules (U.S. and Canada)
  • Tablets (Canada)

Brand Names

Some commonly used brand names are:

In the U.S. -

• Damason-P ⁵
• Darvon Compound-65 ⁹
• Empirin with Codeine No.3 ²
• Empirin with Codeine No.4 ²
• Endodan ⁶
• Lortab ASA ⁵
• Panasal 5/500 ⁵
• PC-Cap ⁹
• Percodan ⁶
• Percodan-Demi ⁶
• Propoxyphene Compound-65 ⁹
• Roxiprin ⁶
• Synalgos-DC ¹
• Talwin Compound ⁷

In Canada -

• Anacin with Codeine ³
• C2 Buffered with Codeine ⁴
• C2 with Codeine ³
• Darvon-N Compound ⁹
• Darvon-N with A.S.A. ⁸
• Endodan ⁶
• Novo-AC and C ³
• Oxycodan ⁶
• Percodan ⁶
• Percodan-Demi ⁶
• 692 ⁹
• 222 ³
• 282 ³
• 292 ³

Other commonly used names are:

• A.C.&C
• AC and C
• Co-codaprin
• dihydrocodeine compound
• drocode and aspirin
• propoxyphene hydrochloride compound

# In Canada, Aspirin is a brand name. Acetylsalicylic acid is the generic name in Canada. ASA, a synonym for acetylsalicylic acid, is the term that commonly appears on Canadian product labels.