• Gary M Reisfield and George R Wilson.
• Division of Palliative Medicine, Department of Community Health and Family Medicine, University of Florida Health Science Center-Jacksonville, USA.
• J Opioid Manag. 2005 Jul 1;1(3):139-45.

AbstractHydromorphone, one of the oldest and most potent of opioids, is an effective alternative to morphine. With a variety of routes of administration, it has an efficacy similar to that of morphine. The FDA has recently approved the first commercially available extended-release formulation, a once-daily hydromorphone for the management of moderate to severe pain in opioid tolerant individuals with an anticipated extended period of use. The formulation exhibits less peak-to-trough fluctuation in plasma concentration, while providing analgesia statistically indistinguishable from its immediate-release counterpart. The manufacturer and the FDA have articulated a plan to minimize unskillful prescribing and abuse/diversion through education, supply-chain integrity, and surveillance. It is anticipated that Palladone will be a valuable addition to the limited armamentarium of extended-release opioids.

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