Codeine

(image source: Akron)

Codeine Cough Syrup:

Codeine Phosphate 10mg each 5 mL

(image source: iStock)

Codeine Tablets:

Codeine Phosphate 30 mg per tablet

Overview:

Codeine is a kind of opioid medication that relieves cough, pain, and diarrhea. Codeine is an alkaloid present in opium. It can be extracted from opium and chemically produced from morphine. Codeine is found in both prescription and non-prescription drugs.

Medical Uses:

It can treat:

• Cough

• Diarrhea

• Mild to moderate pain

• Irritable colon disorder

Side Effects:

Common side effects that usually don’t need medical attention:

• Dizziness

• Drowsiness

• Nausea and vomiting

• Stomach pain

• Sweating

• Mild itching or rashes

Common side effects that need medical attention immediately:

• Difficult or trouble breathing

• Irregular, fast or slow, or shallow breathing

• Pale or blue lips, fingernails, or skin

Long-term side effects

Since Codeine is opioid medication, it can cause physical dependence, which can lead to

long-term harm to the human body. Some long-term effects include:

• Worsening pain: known as opioid-induced hyperalgesia

• Substance dependence

• Lack of emotion (apathy)

• Depression

• Learning and memory problems

• Difficulty in controlling impulsive behavior

• Increased tolerance to opioids

• Insomnia

• Severe constipation

• Poor nutrition, weight loss

• Irregular menstrual cycles in women

• Irregular heartbeat, cardiac arrest

Symptoms of overdose, which need emergency help:

• Bloody or cloudy urine

• Chills

• Constricted, pinpoint, or small pupils (black part of the eye)

• Dark urine

• Headache

• Increased sweating

• Light-colored stools

• Loss of appetite

• Loss of consciousness

• Nausea

• Seizures

• Stomach pain

• Sudden decrease in the amount of urine

• Unpleasant breath odor

• Vomiting

• Vomiting of blood

• Yellow eyes or skin

Drug Interactions:

It’s usually not recommended to use Codeine with the following drugs as it may pose risks.

However, under some conditions, health professionals may use some with Codeine at a

particular dosage.

*Disclaimer: the list is inconclusive

Dosing:

Codeine can come in powder, tablet, solution, and injection. The most common types are solutions and tablets.

• For oral dosage form (cough syrup)

- Adults—15 mL3 or 4 times per day.

- Children 7 to 12 years of age—10 mL 3 or 4 times per day.

- Children 3 to 6 years of age—5 mL 3 or 4 times per day.

- Children younger than 3 years of age—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.

• For oral dosage form (tablets):

- Adults—1 or 2 tablets every 4 hours as needed. Your doctor may adjust your dose as needed.

- Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.

Codeine is generally not recommended for children under the age of 12, and Codeine should be avoided in children under 1 year of age.

Notes:

The legal status of Codeine:

Codeine is a less addictive Schedule II and Schedule III drug under the United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 and is strictly regulated worldwide. For instance, in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the United States, and many countries, Codeine is regulated. However, many countries or regions allow people to buy certain codeine-containing medicines without a doctor's prescription, such as cough syrup.

The codeine content of those medicines is low, and the quantity of each sale is usually

limited. Because these drugs can easily extract high concentrations of Codeine from them and become one of the raw materials for processing into addictive medicines, many countries still prohibit people from bringing such drugs into the country, such as Thailand.

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Citation:

Canada, H. (2023, February 8). Government of Canada. Uses, effects and risks - Canada.ca.Retrieved March 28, 2023, from

https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/substance-use/controlled-illegal-drugs/codeine.html

Wikimedia Foundation. (2023, February 9). Codeine. Wikipedia. Retrieved March 28, 2023, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codeine

Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2023, March 1). Codeine (Oral

Route) side effects. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved March 29, 2023, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/codeine-oral-route/side-effects/drg-20074022