Codeine – Uses, Side effects and Precautions
A weak opioid that is usually used for the relief of mild to moderate pain and is an ingredient in many analgesic medications.
It is also used as a cough suppressant, being included in many cough medicines. Codeine slows down the movements of the intestines, causing constipation, and is therefore used as an antidiarrhoeal drug. Codeine hydrochloride and codeine phosphate are available as tablets, a linctus, or a solution for injection. At lower dosages codeine is available without a prescription, but only from pharmacies; at higher dosages and as a form for injection it is available on prescription only.
Side effects: constipation is the most common side effect. In therapeutic doses codeine is unlikely to produce the other adverse effects associated with opioids, such as nausea, vomiting, and drowsiness, although respiratory depression can occur in sensitive individuals.
Dependence is unusual.
Precautions: cough suppressants and antidiarrhoeal preparations are generally not recommended for children. Cough suppressants should be used with caution by people with asthma, and antidiarrhoeal preparations should not be used in acute conditions or when abdominal distension is present.
Proprietary preparations: Galcodeine and Galcodeine Paediatric (liquids); ASPAV (combined with aspirin and papaveretum); BENYLIN WITH CODEINE (combined with diphenhydramine and menthol); BOOTS CATARRH COUGH SYRUP (combined with creosote); BOOTS MIGRAINE RELIEF (combined with paracetamol); BOOTS TENSION HEADACHE RELIEF (combined with paracetamol, caffeine, and doxylamine);
CODAFEN CONTINUS (combined with ibuprofen); CODANIN (combined with paracetamol); CODIS 500 (combined with aspirin); DIARREST (combined with dicyclomine
hyoscine, and paracetamol); KAODENE (combined with kaolin); Kapake; MIGRALEVE (combined with buclizine hydrochloride and/or paracetamol); Panadeine; PANADOL ULTRA (combined with paracetamol); Paracodol;
Parake; PRO PAIN (combined with caffeine, diphenhydramine, and paracetamol); PULMO BAILLY (combined with guaiacol); ROBITUSSIN NIGHT-TIME (combined with brompheniramine and pseudoephedrine); SOLPADEINE (combined with caffeine and paracetamol); Solpadol; SYNDOL (combined with caffeine, doxylamine, and paracetamol); Tylex; UNIFLU WITH GREGOVITE c (combined with diphenhydramine, paracetamol, and phenylephrine); VEGANIN (combined with aspirin and paracetamol).