hydrocodone
Hydrocodone (or dihydrocodeinone), marketed as Vicodin, Anexsia, Dicodid, Hycodan Hydromet, Hycomine, Lorcet, Lortab, Norco, Novahistex, Hydroco, Tussionex, Vicoprofen, Xodol, is an orally active narcotic analgesic and antitussive.
Hydrocodone, is a semi-synthetic opioid derived from two of the naturally occurring opiates: codeine and thebaine. As a narcotic, hydrocodone relieves pain by binding to opioid receptors in the brain and spinal cord.
Hydrocodone in popular culture
- In the TV series House, Dr. Gregory House exhibits and admits to a high dependence on Vicodin to treat chronic pain resulting from past muscle infarction in his right thigh.
- In the TV series The Book of Daniel, Daniel Webster is dependent on hydrocodone.
- In the TV series Baywatch (episode Hijacked, season 8, episode 11) the character Neely Capshaw (Gena Lee Nolin) suffers from a Vicodin dependency.
- In the book Generation Rx by Greg Critser, the author talks about a friend, who is an executive at a major studio, that has "Vicodin Fridays" with the entire staff.
- In the film Just Friends, the mother of the protagonist exhibits euphoric and often loopy characteristics, a behavioral malady later attributed to her Vicodin consumption.
- In the film The Ring, when Katie's mother calls, her friend Becca (spending the night at Katie's house), asks her to ask her mother "where she keeps the Vicodin".
- In the TV series General Hospital, Lucky Spencer and Alan Quartermaine have both developed and recovered from hydrocodone dependency. In 1999, Stuart Damon won a "Best Supporting Actor" Emmy award for his portrayal of Dr. Quartermaine's addiction.
- In the TV series Two and a Half Men, Charlie constructs a sewed picture saying "God Bless Vicodin".
- Rapper Eminem has a Vicodin tattoo on his left arm.
