Hydrocodone Bitartrate and Acetaminophen

This combination of the opioid hydrocodone with acetaminophen — long familiar as Vicodin, Norco, and Lortab — is the most-dispensed opioid analgesic in the United States, used for short-term moderate-to-severe pain. It was rescheduled from Schedule III to the stricter Schedule II in 2014, which tightened refill rules and contributed to falling prescription volume. The tablets themselves are inexpensive, fully genericized products available in several hydrocodone/acetaminophen strength ratios.