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Medication Guide — Hydromorphone Hydrochloride

Patient-friendly FDA guidance and safety information.

Last updated · May 12, 2026Source: DailyMed ↗
Boxed Warning

WARNING: SERIOUS AND LIFE-THREATENING RISKS FROM USE OF HYDROMORPHONE HYDROCHLORIDE

See full prescribing information for complete boxed warning.

  • Ensure accuracy when prescribing, dispensing, and administering hydromorphone hydrochloride oral solution. Dosing errors due to confusion between mg and mL can result in accidental overdose and death. ( 2.1, 5.1)
  • Hydromorphone hydrochloride oral solution or hydromorphone hydrochloride tablets exposes users to risks of addiction, abuse, and misuse, which can lead to overdose and death. Assess patient's risk before prescribing and reassess regularly for these behaviors and conditions. ( 5.2)
  • Serious, life-threatening, or fatal respiratory depression may occur, especially upon initiation or following a dosage increase. To reduce the risk of respiratory depression, proper dosing and titration of hydromorphone hydrochloride oral solution or hydromorphone hydrochloride tablets are essential. ( 5.3)
  • Accidental ingestion of hydromorphone hydrochloride oral solution or hydromorphone hydrochloride tablets, especially by children, can result in a fatal overdose of hydromorphone. ( 5.3)
  • Concomitant use of opioids with benzodiazepines or other central nervous system (CNS) depressants, including alcohol, may result in profound sedation, respiratory depression, coma, and death. Reserve concomitant prescribing for use in patients for whom alternative treatment options are inadequate. ( 5.4, 7)
  • If opioid use is required for an extended period of time in a pregnant woman, advise the patient of the risk of neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome, which may be life-threatening if not recognized and treated. Ensure that management by neonatology experts will be available at delivery. ( 5.5)
  • Healthcare providers are strongly encouraged to complete a REMS-compliant education program and to counsel patients and caregivers on serious risks, safe use, and the importance of reading the Medication Guide with each prescription. ( 5.6)

Risk of Medication Errors

Ensure accuracy when prescribing, dispensing, and administering hydromorphone hydrochloride oral solution. Dosing errors due to confusion between mg and mL, and other hydromorphone oral solutions of different concentrations can result in accidental overdose and death .

Addiction, Abuse, and Misuse

Because the use of hydromorphone hydrochloride oral solution and hydromorphone hydrochloride tablets expose 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 .

Life-Threatening Respiratory Depression

Serious, life-threatening, or fatal respiratory depression may occur with use of hydromorphone hydrochloride oral solution and hydromorphone hydrochloride tablets, especially during initiation or following a dosage increase. To reduce the risk of respiratory depression, proper dosing and titration of hydromorphone hydrochloride oral solution and hydromorphone hydrochloride tablets are essential .

Accidental Ingestion

Accidental ingestion of even one dose of hydromorphone hydrochloride oral solution or hydromorphone hydrochloride tablets, especially by children, can result in a fatal overdose of hydromorphone .

Risks From Concomitant Use With Benzodiazepines Or Other CNS Depressants

Concomitant use of opioids with benzodiazepines or other central nervous system (CNS) depressants, including alcohol, may result in profound sedation, respiratory depression, coma, and death . Reserve concomitant prescribing of hydromorphone hydrochloride oral solution and hydromorphone hydrochloride tablets and benzodiazepines or other CNS depressants for use in patients for whom alternative treatment options are inadequate .

Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome (NOWS)

If opioid use is required for an extended period of time in a pregnant woman, advise the patient of the risk of NOWS, which may be life-threatening if not recognized and treated. Ensure that management by neonatology experts will be available at delivery [ see Warnings and Precautions] .

Opioid Analgesic Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS)

Healthcare providers are strongly encouraged to complete a REMS-compliant education program and to counsel patients and caregivers on serious risks, safe use, and the importance of reading the Medication Guide with each prescription .

Poison Help

If you suspect an overdose or accidental ingestion, call Poison Control: 1-800-222-1222 (free, 24/7, U.S.). For life-threatening symptoms, call 911.

         This Medication Guide has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Medication Guide


HYDROMORPHONE HYDROCHLORIDE (hye" droe mor' fone hye" droe klor' ide)


Tablets and Oral Solution, CII

Issued: 12/2023

Hydromorphone hydrochloride tablets and hydromorphone hydrochloride oral solution are:Strong prescription pain medicines that contains an opioid (narcotic) that is used to manage pain severe enough to require an opioid analgesic, when other pain treatments such as non-opioid pain medicines do not treat your pain well enough or you cannot tolerate them.Opioid pain medicines that can put you at risk for overdose and death. Even if you take your dose correctly as prescribed you are at risk for opioid addiction, abuse, and misuse that can lead to death.

Important information about hydromorphone hydrochloride:Get emergency help or call 911 right away if you take too much hydromorphone hydrochloride tablets or hydromorphone hydrochloride oral solution (overdose). When you first start takinghydromorphone hydrochloride tablets or hydromorphone hydrochloride oral solution,when your dose is changed, or if you take too much (overdose), serious or life-threatening breathing problems that can lead to death may occur. Talk to your healthcare provider about naloxone, a medicine for the emergency treatment of an opioid overdose.Takinghydromorphone hydrochloride tablets or hydromorphone hydrochloride oral solutionwith other opioid medicines, benzodiazepines, alcohol, or other central nervous system depressants (including street drugs) can cause severe drowsiness, decreased awareness, breathing problems, coma, and death.Never give anyone else your hydromorphone hydrochloride tablets or hydromorphone hydrochloride oral solution. They could die from taking it. Selling or giving away hydromorphone hydrochloride tablets or hydromorphone hydrochloride oral solution is against the law.Store hydromorphone hydrochloride tablets or hydromorphone hydrochloride oral solution securely, out of sight and reach of children, and in a location not accessible by others, including visitors to the home.

Do not take hydromorphone hydrochloride tablets or hydromorphone hydrochloride oral solution if you have:Severe asthma, trouble breathing, or other lung problems.A bowel blockage or have narrowing of the stomach or intestines.

Before taking hydromorphone hydrochloride tablets or hydromorphone hydrochloride oral solution, tell your healthcare provider if you have a history of:

head injury, seizuresproblems urinating

liver, kidney, thyroid problemspancreas or gallbladder problems

abuse of street or prescription drugs, alcohol addiction, opioid overdose, or mental health problemsTell your healthcare provider if you are:Noticing your pain getting worse.If your pain gets worse after you take hydromorphone hydrochloride, do not take more of hydromorphone hydrochloride without first talking to your healthcare provider. Talk to your healthcare provider if the pain that you have increases, if you feel more sensitive to pain, or if you have new pain after taking hydromorphone hydrochloride.Pregnant or planning to become pregnant.Use of hydromorphone hydrochloride tablets and hydromorphone hydrochloride oral solution for an extended period of time during pregnancy can cause withdrawal symptoms in your newborn baby that could be life-threatening if not recognized and treated.Breastfeeding.Hydromorphone hydrochloride tablets and hydromorphone hydrochloride oral solution pass into breast milk and may harm your baby. Carefully observe infants for increased sleepiness (more than usual), breathing difficulties, or limpness. Seek immediate medical care if you notice these signs.Living in a household where there are small children or someone who has abused street or a prescription drugs.Taking prescription or over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, or herbal supplements. Taking hydromorphone hydrochloride with certain other medicines can cause serious side effects that could lead to death.

When taking hydromorphone hydrochloride:Do not change your dose. Take hydromorphone hydrochloride exactly as prescribed by your healthcare provider. Use the lowest dose possible for the shortest time needed.For acute (short-term) pain, you may only need to take hydromorphone hydrochloride for a few days. You may have some hydromorphone hydrochloride left over that you did not use. See disposal information at the bottom of this section for directions on how to safely throw away (dispose of) your unused hydromorphone hydrochloride.Do not take more than your prescribed dose. If you miss a dose, take your next dose at your usual time.Call your healthcare provider if the dose you are taking does not control your pain.If you have been taking hydromorphone hydrochloride tablets or hydromorphone hydrochloride oral solution regularly, do not stop taking hydromorphone hydrochloride tablets or hydromorphone hydrochloride oral solution without talking to your healthcare provider.Dispose of expired, unwanted, or unused hydromorphone hydrochloride tablets or hydromorphone hydrochloride oral solution by promptly flushing down the toilet, if a drug take-back option is not readily available. Visitwww.fda.gov/drugdisposalfor additional information on disposal of unused medicines.

While taking hydromorphone hydrochloride DO NOT:Drive or operate heavy machinery, until you know how hydromorphone hydrochloride tablets or hydromorphone hydrochloride oral solution affects you. Hydromorphone hydrochloride can make you sleepy, dizzy, or lightheaded.Drink alcohol or use prescription or over-the-counter medicines that contain alcohol. Using products containing alcohol during treatment with hydromorphone hydrochloride tablets or hydromorphone hydrochloride oral solution may cause you to overdose and die.

The possible side effects of hydromorphone hydrochloride tablets and hydromorphone hydrochloride oral solution:Constipation, nausea, sleepiness, vomiting, tiredness, headache, dizziness, abdominal pain. Call your healthcare provider if you have any of these symptoms and they are severe. Get emergency medical help or call 911 right away if you have:Trouble breathing, shortness of breath, fast heartbeat, chest pain, swelling of your face, tongue, or throat, extreme drowsiness, light-headedness when changing positions, feeling faint, agitation, high body temperature, trouble walking, stiff muscles, or mental changes such as confusion.These are not all the possible side effects of hydromorphone hydrochloride tablets and hydromorphone hydrochloride oral solution. Call your healthcare provider for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. For more information, go to dailymed.nlm.nih.gov

Relabeled and Repackaged by:

Enovachem PHARMACEUTICALS

Torrance, CA 90501

Sources

RxCUI: 897696

NDC: 87063-037

Last fetched: May 12, 2026

Source: DailyMed ↗

⚠️ Disclaimer

This information is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult your doctor, pharmacist, or other licensed healthcare professional before starting, stopping, or changing any medicine. Read full medical disclaimer.

Hydromorphone Hydrochloride Medication Guide, Warnings & FDA Label | PillSeek