Two medicines, side by side
Acetaminophen/hydrocodone vs atorvastatin
Acetaminophen/hydrocodone is labeled for pain; atorvastatin for high cholesterol, angina and high triglycerides. Their labels share no use, so they are not alternatives to each other. Pharmacies paid $0.152 per hydrocodone-acetaminophen 10-325 mg tablet and $0.0228 per atorvastatin 10 mg tablet (NADAC, October 7, 2026); the strengths differ, so the two prices are not like for like. Atorvastatin's other strengths are brand-only: $1.23 per mL (Atorvaliq 20 mg/5 mL suspension). In FDA's classes, acetaminophen/hydrocodone is an opioid agonist and atorvastatin a hmg-coa reductase inhibitor.
Check it at the source: the acetaminophen/hydrocodone FDA label on DailyMed (effective October 23, 2025); the atorvastatin FDA label on DailyMed (effective April 15, 2024).
Highlights of the acetaminophen and hydrocodone record
Acetaminophen and hydrocodone (Norco) · label of October 23, 2025
SERIOUS AND LIFE-THREATENING RISKS FROM USE OF HYDROCODONE BITARTRATE AND ACETAMINOPHEN TABLETS. Addiction, Abuse, and Misuse Because the use of hydrocodone bitartrate and acetaminophen tablets exposes patients and other users to the risks of opioid addiction, abuse, and misuse, which can lead to overdose and death, assess each patient’s risk prior to prescribing and reassess all patients regularly for the development of these behaviors and conditions [see WARNINGS ].
Used for
From the label: indicationsHydrocodone bitartrate and acetaminophen tablets are indicated for the management of pain severe enough to require an opioid analgesic and for which alternative treatments are inadequate. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- n/a
- Generic labelers
- 36 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.152 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 14
Highlights of the atorvastatin record
Atorvastatin (Lipitor) · label of April 15, 2024
Used for
From the label: indicationsLIPITOR is indicated: • To reduce the risk of: o Myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, revascularization procedures, and angina in adults with multiple risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD) but without clinically evident CHD o MI and stroke in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus with multiple risk factors for CHD but without clinically evident CHD o Non-fatal MI, fatal and non-fatal stroke, revascularization […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- December 17, 1996
- Generic labelers
- 59 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.0228 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 53
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Acetaminophen/hydrocodone label of October 23, 2025, Atorvastatin label of April 15, 2024); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do acetaminophen/hydrocodone and atorvastatin differ on the record?
In FDA's classes, acetaminophen/hydrocodone is an opioid agonist and atorvastatin a hmg-coa reductase inhibitor.
Half-life, in each label's words: Acetaminophen/hydrocodone, “Maximum serum levels were achieved at 1.3 ± 0.3 hours and the half-life was determined to be 3.8 ± 0.3 hours.”; Atorvastatin, “Mean plasma elimination half-life of LIPITOR in humans is approximately 14 hours, but the half-life of inhibitory …”
Only the acetaminophen/hydrocodone label carries a boxed warning.
Generics: acetaminophen/hydrocodone since 1982; atorvastatin since 2011 (Drugs@FDA).
DEA schedule: acetaminophen/hydrocodone CII; atorvastatin none.
| Acetaminophen/hydrocodone | Atorvastatin | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Pain | High cholesterol, Angina, High triglycerides, Heart attack and coronary artery disease |
| Pharmacologic class | Opioid Agonist | HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitor |
| How it works (label) | n/a | LIPITOR is a selective, competitive inhibitor of HMG-CoA reductase, the rate-limiting enzyme that converts 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A to mevalonate, a precursor of sterols, including cholesterol. |
| Half-life (label) | Maximum serum levels were achieved at 1.3 ± 0.3 hours and the half-life was determined to be 3.8 ± 0.3 hours. | Mean plasma elimination half-life of LIPITOR in humans is approximately 14 hours, but the half-life of inhibitory activity for HMG-CoA reductase is 20 to 30 hours due to the contribution of active metabolites. |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | n/a | December 17, 1996 |
| First generic approved | May 3, 1982 | November 30, 2011 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 36 labelers | 59 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $0.152 per tablet (Hydrocodone-acetaminophen 10-325 mg tablet) | $0.0228 per tablet (Atorvastatin 10 mg tablet) |
| 12-month price change | -4% | -8% |
| Boxed warning | Yes | No |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 14 | 53 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 56,022 | 245,894 |
| DEA schedule | CII | none |
Source: Drugs@FDA, FDA NDC Directory, CMS NADAC of October 7, 2026, FDA shortages and recalls, FAERS via openFDA (FDA files October 8, 2026)
What do the labels say about using others of their kind?
Acetaminophen/hydrocodone label, drug interactionsBenzodiazepines and Other Central Nervous System (CNS) Depressants Due to additive pharmacologic effect, the concomitant use of benzodiazepines and other CNS depressants, such as benzodiazepines and other sedative/hypnotics, anxiolytics, tranquilizers, muscle relaxants, general anesthetics, antipsychotics, gabapentinoids (gabapentin or pregabalin), and other opioids, including alcohol, can increase the risk of …
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA
What next?
- Alternatives to acetaminophen/hydrocodone
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions