Oxycodone Detection Timelines [INFOGRAPHIC]

ARTICLE SUMMARY: Oxycodone can show up on a standard drug tests using boligical specimens such as hair, urine, blood, and saliva. But, how long does it stay in the system? And how do detection windows vary? Find the answers in out infographic here.

ESTIMATED REDING TIME: 5 minutes.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

• Basics
• How Long It Stays In Your System
• Detection Windows
• Your Questions

Basics

Drug Name: Oxycodone
Drug Class: Analgesic / Opiate
Street Names: Hillbilly heroin, Blues, Oxy

As a strong opioid medicine, oxycodone is a semi-synthetic analgesic used to manage pain. However, it has a huge addictive potential…so large that DEA has scheduled this medication as a Schedule II controlled substance. Moreover, the National Safety Council reports that you can develop dependence after regular, daily dosing of oxycodone of just one week. In some cases, this period is longer.

Even oxycodone harms are well publicized, this medication is still one of the most prescribed narcotics in the U.S. In fact, the 2013 report made by the National Institute on Drug Abuse found out that in 1991, there were 76 million opioid prescribed, but in 2013 that number escalated with nearly 207 million prescriptions. Further, the 2016 National Survey on Drug Abuse and Health reported that about 27.6 million people used a medication containing oxycodone, while 3.9 million people reported misuse of oxycodone.

The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) estimated that in 2016, 2 million Americans had addiction problems involving a prescription opioid painkiller.

But, overdose is a real risk for people that use it reguraly. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that about 46 people die every day from overdose death that include use of a prescription opioid painkiller.

How Long It Stays in Your System

How long does oxycodone can stay in your system? The length of time it takes to process oxycodone depends on a few things:

1. The type of oxycodone you’re taking.

The half-life of oxycodone as outlined in the FDA drug label for oxyocdone, depends on whether it’s a controlled release or immediate release version. Controlled release half-life is about 4.5 hours compared to 3.2 hours for immediate-release oxycodone.

2. Individual factors.

The factors that influence the length of oxycodone stay in your body can include:

• Age
• Body fat to mass ratio
• Dosage
• Duration and frequency of use
• Genetics
• Height
• Liver and kidney function
• Metabolic rate
• Urinary pH
• Weight

Every body is different, and because of the the drug detection window is not same. For example, when you are young, your metabolism is faster, and you body can eliminate drugs more quickly. Also, people with high percentage of body fat metabolize drugs slower, and any malfunction of the liver or the kidneys can slower the metabolic rate of the drug.

Detection Windows

Depending upon the type of the drug test you take, the detection window for oxycodone varies. Main drug testing by biological specimen and related detection windows follow.

Urine test: Oxycodone is usually detected up to 4 days from the last intake in a standard urine test.

Saliva test: This medication shows up on a saliva drug test up to 4 days from the last dose.

Hair test: Oxycodone can be detected up to 3 months on a hair follicle drug test.

Blood test: Expect to come out positive on a blood drug test for oxycodone after 24 hours of your last use.

Keep this in mind:

Use this information as a general guidance since the drug detection timelines in urine, saliva, hair, and blood vary by person to person.

Any Questions?

Did we cover your issues about oxycodone detection windows? Do you like this oxycodone infographic? Feel free to share your opinion with us!

Also, if you still have some additional questions, don’t hesitate to post them in the comments section below. We will make sure to try to answer you as soon as we can. And, If you like to learn more, feel free to download our e-book The Definitive Guide To Drug Testing.

Reference Sources: NCBI: Laboratory Testing for Prescription Opioids
NCBI: Opioid Metabolism
PubMed Health: Oxycodone

About the author

Lee Weber

Lee Weber is a published author, medical writer, and woman in long-term recovery from addiction. Her latest book, The Definitive Guide to Addiction Interventions is set to reach university bookstores in early 2019.