Co-dydramol

Co-dydramol (BAN) is a non-proprietary name used to denote a combination of dihydrocodeine tartrate and paracetamol. Co-dydramol tablets are used for the relief of moderate pain. Co-dydramol is in fact part of a series of combination drugs available in the UK and other countries including Co-codaprin (aspirin and codeine), Co-codamol (codeine phosphate and paracetamol) and Co-proxamol (dextropropoxyphene and paracetamol).

Additional recommended knowledge

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Formulation

All formulations contain 500 mg of paracetamol per tablet and may only be sold at a pharmacy as an over-the-counter item without prescription if containing less than 7.5 mg of dihydrocodeine per tablet. Higher strengths are prescription only medicines. Four strengths of dihydrocodeine tartrate in each tablet are available:

• 7.46 mg dihydrocodeine in the brand Paramol.
• 10 mg dihydrocodeine, BAN of Co-dydramol 10/500, this is also the preparation to be dispensed if no strength is specified on a prescription.
• 20 mg dihydrocodeine, BAN of Co-dydramol 20/500 (branded product Remedeine).
• 30 mg dihydrocodeine, BAN of Co-dydramol 30/500 (branded product Remedeine forte).

References

• British National Formulary 2004
• Merck Index 13th Edition
• Oxford textbook of clinical pharmacology Second Edition (09. October 1992)
• Martindale: The complete drug reference 35th Edition (2007)
• Goodman & Gilman's The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 11th Edition