Hydromorphone Foods

Hydromorphone is available through injections, tablets, oral solution, and suppositories. The usual route of administration is by way of swallowing tablets. For patients who have difficulty swallowing tablets, a flavored oral solution is available. This liquid form of the drug can be poured into a medicine dropper for measurement by the patient or a nurse. The liquid can also be added to soft foods to make it easier for the patient to ingest. Some of these liquid formulations may contain alcohol. 

Hydromorphone has comparable side effects to those produced by morphine use. This is true for sedation, respiratory depression, and constipation, but hydromorphone is associated with less vomiting than morphine. Nausea caused by hydromorphone and other opioids can be minimized by administering the drug along with food and having the patient lie down following administration. 

Food can delay the absorption of dextropropoxyphene (propoxyphene), but the total amount absorbed may be slightly increased. Food increases the bioavailability of oral morphine solution and produces a sustained serum level, however, the absorption of some controlled-release preparations of morphine may be delayed by food. Food may also increase the bioavailability of oxycodone solution, but sustained-release preparations of oxycodone and tramadol and immediate-release hydromorphone appear not to be affected by food. 

Oral hydromorphone has a bioavailability of 62% regardless of whether it is given as regular hydromorphone or extended-release capsules. Food has no effect on peak levels. The drug is 20% protein-bound. The two distribution half-lives are 1.3 and 14.7 minutes. The volume of distribution is 4 L/kg [1,2]. 

SathyanG, Xu E,Thipphawongl, Gupta SK. Pharmacokinetic profile of a 24-hour controlled-release OROS formulation of hydromorphone in the presence and absence of food. BMC Clin Pharmacol 2007 7 2. 

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