Doctors prescribe narcotic painkillers after surgery for chronic pain management, and in some cases, to battle cancer. Currently, an ongoing oxycodone vs hydrocodone debate claims one drug is less addictive than the other. Because opioids usually work better in combination with other analgesics, both oxycodone and hydrocodone are available formulated with other ingredients such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Oxycodone is available in an immediate and controlled-release forms, and in combination with acetaminophen, aspirin, and ibuprofen. Oxycodone and hydrocodone are prescription pain medications. Both can treat short-term pain caused by an injury or surgery. They may also be used to treat pain that is chronic, or long-term. When comparing oxycodone vs. hydrocodone, oxycodone is preferred by many people. So what is it about these two opioids and oxycodone in particular that makes it preferential among people who abuse prescription drugs? With oxycodone vs. Percocet, there’s another layer of risk. Percocet has acetaminophen which can cause liver damage and acute liver failure when too much is taken for a certain period. People who take Percocet have to be aware of the dosage of opioids they’re taking and the amount of acetaminophen. Wait, when it concerns oxycodone vs hydrocodone, it is necessary to recognize the difference. You might understand oxycodone under the brand name OxyContin, Troxyca, or Percocet. These names indicate the delivery technique of the energetic ingredient as controlled-release or combined with naltrexone or acetaminophen. In 2008, recreational use of oxycodone and hydrocodone were involved in 14,800 deaths. Some of the cases were due to overdoses of the acetaminophen component, resulting in fatal liver damage. Some of the cases were due to overdoses of the acetaminophen component, resulting in fatal liver damage. Hydrocodone, the active ingredient in drugs like Norco and Vicodin, and oxycodone, the active ingredient in Percocet and OxyContin, are two of the most popular opioid — or narcotic — analgesics prescribed for pain relief. Hydrocodone and oxycodone are very different in nature. Hydrocodone has a different chemical structure then oxycodone, therefore the process of reaction is different, but both have same results (to relieve pain). hydrocodone has hydrocodone and oxycodone has oxycodone. It depends on the manufacturer what the inactive ingredients are.