
Safety profile of the analgesic Trezix, containing the mild opioid dihydrocodeine
Wraser Pharmaceuticals
Sharp rises in opioid abuse and overdose rates in the United States over the past two decades have prompted much-needed review of prescription rates and ease of access to controlled substances. Combatting these alarming trends requires assessing which opioids are more addictive and habit-forming than others and setting standards and guidelines for prescribing that accurately reflect the relative risk of a drug.
Trezix (NDC drug name 66992-0340), an oral analgesic used to manage moderate to moderately severe pain, has a lower morphine milligram equivalent (MME) dose than stronger opioids such as morphine, hydrocodone, and fentanyl.1 It is formulated as a short-acting opioid, which has a lower risk of addiction or overdose than long-acting opioids.2
In this report we present an overview of the safety and usage data for Trezix and similar low dose dihydrocodeine combinations. It is our carefully-considered opinion that Trezix should not be regulated as strictly or in the same classification as opioids of morphine-equivalent or higher strength.