Hydromorphone (Dilaudid) Nursing Considerations

Hey guys, let’s talk about hydromorphone, also known as Daud. This is an injectable medication, as you can see here in the picture, and it also comes in an oral form. So the therapeutic class of a drug is how the drug and the body, while the pharmacologic class is the chemical effect. Hydromorphine therapeutic class is an opioid analgesic, an allergy cold and Caity, and also an antitussive. The pharmacologic class of hydromorphine is an opioid agonist. Hydromorphine works by altering the patient’s perception and, and reaction to pain by binding to opiate receptors in the central nervous system. It also suppresses the cough reflex hydromorphine Daud is used for the management of moderate to severe pain. Some of the side effects that we see with this drug or narcotics in general are hypotension, constipation, lightheadedness, or drowsiness. 

So when administering hydromorphone remember that this medication can cause CNS depression, which means that blood pressure pulse respirations should, would be assessed before, during and after administration. And when administering dilute with normal saline and administer slowly to decrease CNS depression, it is important to know that mais should not be used concurrently with this drug. In fact, the use of both of them should be avoided within 14 days of each other. In the event of an overdose Narcan should be given. Hydromorphone is also sometimes used as an antitussive at low doses. It is important to teach the patient that this medication is habit forming and they should use it exactly as directed. So guys Daud is among the most powerful or powerful oral opioid agonists. It is three to four times more powerful than oxycodone. Five times more powerful than morphine and 30 times more powerful than coding. That’s it for hydromorphine or Daud now go out and be your best self today. And as always happy nursing.