What Is in Lortab?

Lortab, often misspelled "Loratab," is a combination of acetaminophen and hydrocodone when in pill form. In elixir form, Lortab also contains 7 percent alcohol. Lortab is prescribed for a number of ailments. Its popularity has put it on the radar of prescription drug abuse, mainly because of its hydrocodone content.

How Lortab Works

• Lortab is primarily used to relieve moderate and severe pain. The combination of acetaminophen and hydrocodone work in different ways to treat pain. The acetaminophen lowers the level of chemical that the brain uses to stimulate pain nerves. Hydrocodone, on the other hand, is a narcotic that binds to receptors throughout the nervous system, including the brain, that are used by the body's natural pain-relieving chemicals. Because hydrocodone is a cough suppressant, Lortab might be a preferred prescription when pain is accompanied by a cough.

Lortab Side Effects

• Like any prescription medication, Lortab carries potential side effects. The most common are consistent with other opiate pain relievers. They include nausea, mood changes, vomiting, weakness, anxiety, dizziness, drowsiness, impaired mental performance, headache, dry mouth, diarrhea, constipation, loss of appetite, ringing in the ears and blurred vision.

  In some cases, severe side effects can include convulsions, itching, hallucinations, slow heartbeat, shallow breathing, stomach pain, yellowing of the skin or eyes and fainting.

Lortab Abuse

• Hydrocodone is the narcotic ingredient in Lortab, and that lands Lortab on the U.S. Department of Justice's list of Drugs and Chemicals of Concern. In 2008, hydrocodone was the opioid pharmaceutical most commonly sent as evidence to local and state forensic labs. From 2004 to 2009, the amount of seized hydrocodone, including Lortab and other forms, more than doubled.