oxycodone vs phenytoin

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Side-by-side comparison of oxycodone and phenytoin. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.

moderate Known Drug Interaction

Examples: Rifampin, carbamazepine, phenytoin Benzodiazepines and Other Central Nervous System (CNS) Depressants Clinical Impact: Due to additive pharmacologic effect, the concomitant use of benzodiazepines or other CNS depressants, including alcohol, can increase the risk of hypotension, respiratory depression, profound sedation, coma, and death [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3)] .

Drug Class
oxycodone Opioid Analgesic
phenytoin Anticonvulsant (Hydantoin)
Type
oxycodone Prescription
phenytoin Prescription
Summary
oxycodone

Oxycodone is a strong pain medicine. It is used to treat severe pain that is not helped by other treatments.

phenytoin

Phenytoin injection is used to treat certain types of seizures. It can also prevent seizures during or after neurosurgery.

What It Treats
oxycodone

Oxycodone is used to manage severe pain. It is for pain that requires an opioid medicine. You should only use it when other pain treatments are not enough. Talk to your doctor about other options if possible.

phenytoin

This medicine treats generalized tonic-clonic status epilepticus, a type of prolonged seizure. It also helps prevent and treat seizures that may happen during or after brain surgery. Sometimes, it can be used for a short time instead of the oral form of phenytoin when you cannot take the medicine by mouth.

How It Works
oxycodone

Oxycodone works by changing how your brain and nervous system respond to pain. It attaches to certain receptors in the brain. This helps to block pain signals and reduce pain.

phenytoin

Phenytoin works by slowing down the signals in the brain that cause seizures. It stabilizes nerve cell membranes, reducing excessive electrical activity. This helps to prevent seizures from starting or spreading.

Common Side Effects
oxycodone
  • Feeling sick to your stomach
  • Constipation
  • Throwing up
  • Headache
  • Itching
phenytoin

No common side effects listed.

FAERS Reports
oxycodone
  • Drug Dependence 27,480
  • Pain 26,409
  • Death 19,598
  • Overdose 19,081
  • Toxicity To Various Agents 16,253
phenytoin
  • Drug Interaction 1,547
  • Seizure 1,382
  • Toxicity To Various Agents 1,353
  • Convulsion 1,262
  • Status Epilepticus 791
Serious Warnings
oxycodone

Oxycodone can cause serious, life-threatening risks: * Addiction, abuse, and misuse can lead to overdose and death. Your doctor will check your risk before prescribing and during treatment. * It can cause very slow or stopped breathing, especially when you start taking it or after a dose increase. * If a child accidentally takes even one dose, it can cause a fatal overdose. * Taking it with benzodiazepines (like Xanax) or other depressants (like alcohol) can cause sleepiness, slowed breathing, coma, and death. * Using oxycodone for a long time during pregnancy can cause withdrawal symptoms in the newborn. * Taking oxycodone with certain other medicines can cause dangerous side effects.

phenytoin

This medicine can cause serious heart problems if given too quickly. The injection rate should not be faster than 50 mg per minute for adults, and 1 to 3 mg/kg/min (or 50 mg per minute, whichever is slower) for children. Your heart will be monitored closely during and after the injection.

Pregnancy
oxycodone

Using oxycodone for a long time during pregnancy can cause withdrawal symptoms in the baby after birth. Talk to your doctor about the risks if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Oxycodone is not recommended during labor, as it can cause breathing problems in the newborn.

phenytoin

Taking phenytoin during pregnancy may increase the risk of birth defects. If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of this medicine.

Also Compare, Nearby Drugs

How to Read This oxycodone vs phenytoin Comparison

oxycodone is classified in the Opioid Analgesic drug class, while phenytoin sits within the Anticonvulsant (Hydantoin) class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.

Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, oxycodone has 108,821 submissions while phenytoin has 6,335. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known moderate interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to both drugs slow down your brain and body, which can cause dangerous sleepiness and very slow breathing.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.

A table cannot represent individual circumstances. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This registry does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions for oxycodone or phenytoin.

Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.