Individuals in moderate to severe pain are often prescribed Vicodin. Vicodin contains hydrocodone and acetaminophen. Hydrocodone is an opioid painkiller. Opioids are highly addictive and pose a severe risk of drug abuse.
Given how easily this medication can result in dependency and addiction, Vicodin is classified as a controlled substance. Despite the regulations around opioid drugs, over 60 million people between the ages of 15 and 64 have used opioids. Additionally, more than 9 million individuals in the U.S. have misused opioid drugs, including painkillers. The CDCP estimates that 128 U.S. citizens die from opioid overdose every day.
The FDA considers Vicodin as a Schedule II controlled substance. Only medical providers can prescribe painkillers to patients, and only for medicinal purposes. For more information on this potent drug and the answer to “how long does vicodin stay in your system?” continue reading.
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Many Factors Impact The Answer to “How Long Does Vicodin Stay in Your System?”
The active ingredients in Vicodin can remain in the body for several days. However, the immediate effects last between four and six hours. Drug tests can still detect this opioid painkiller, even if it was taken multiple days before drug testing. The answer to “how long does vicodin stay in your system?” is specific to individual factors.
Some of the most critical individual factors include:
- dosage
- frequency of use
- exercise habits
- body fat
- half-life
The Drug’s Half-Life Influences How Long It Remains in The Body
The half-life of Vicodin is 3-4 hours on average. In other words, it takes about this time for half of the dose to leave the body. It is undetectable after about four or five half-life cycles.
One’s Overall Health Influences How Long It Takes The Body To Eliminate Vicodin
When asking, “how long does vicodin stay in your system?” one must consider how individual factors influence this timeframe.
- If a person’s liver health is subpar, it will take longer to metabolize the drug, and therefore, it will take much more time to eliminate it.
- If someone exercises regularly, stronger metabolic and cardiovascular health may indicate that the drug will be flushed out of the body faster than a body that receives little to no exercise.
- People with more body fat can store hydrocodone in fatty tissue; thus, the traces of the drug can remain in those with higher body fat percentages for longer.
Drug Use Frequency and Dosage Impact How Quickly The Drug Leaves One’s System
The frequency of drug use and the dosage will also influence the answer to “how long does vicodin stay in your system?” The more severe the drug use, the longer the body will require to eliminate it.
Get Professional Help for Opioid Abuse
There is more than one answer to: “how long does vicodin stay in your system.” The above individual factors directly influence how long it takes for Vicodin to exit the body. If you’re struggling with opioid addiction, contact a drug detox facility right away for professional help.