| Medication | Route | Onset of Action | Duration of Action | Usual Dosing Interval | Equi-Analgesic Dosing |
| Morphine (IR) (MSIR®, Roxanol®, various) |
PO | 30 to 60min | 3 to 6hr | 3 to 6hr | 30mg PO |
| IV | 5 to 10min | 3 to 6hr | 3 to 6hr | 10mg IV | |
| SC | 15 to 30min | 3 to 6hr | 3 to 6hr | 10mg IM/SC | |
| Morphine (ER) (MS Contin®, etc.) |
PO | 30 to 90min | 8 to 12hr | 8 to 12hr | 30mg PO |
| Morphine (ER) (Kadian®, Avniza®) |
PO | 30 to 90min | 12 to 24hr | 12 to 24hr (Kadian®) 24 hr (Avniza®) |
30mg PO |
| Hhydromorphone (Dilaudid®) |
PO | 15 to 30 min | 4 to 6hr | 3 to 6hr | 7.5mg PO |
| IV / SC | 15 min | 4 to 6hr | 3 to 6hr | 1.5mg IV | |
| Oxycodone, IR (Roxicodone®, OxyIR®, various) |
PO | 10 to 15min | 4 to 6hr | 4 to 6hr | 20mg PO |
| Oxycodone (CR) (OxyContin®, various) |
PO | 1hr | 12hr | 12hr | 20mg PO |
| Oxymorphone (IR)(Opana®, various) | PO | 10mg | |||
| Oxymorphone (ER) (Opana ER®, various) |
PO | 10mg | |||
| Hydrocodone combinations | PO | 30 to 60min | 4 to 6hr | 4 to 6hr | 30mg PO |
| Oxycodone combinations | PO | 10 to 15min | 4 to 6hr | 4 to 6hr | 20mg PO |
| Codeine combinations | PO | 30 to 60min | 4 to 6hr | 4 to 6hr | 200mg PO |
| Fentanyl | IV | Immediate | 30 to 60min | 1 to 2hr | 100 mcg IV (0.1mg IV) |
| SC | 15min | 30min to 2hr | 3 to 6hr | 100 mcg SC (0.1mg SC) |
|
| IM | 5 to 15min | Highly variable | |||
| TD | 12 to 24hr | 72hrs per patch | 72hr | ||
| Methadone | PO | 30 to 60min | >8hr (Chronic use) |
8 to 12hr (Chronic use) |
ER = Extended Release; IR= Immediate Release; CR =Controlled release