Lortab is a medicine used to treat moderate to severe pain. It is classified as a narcotic or opioid and works by changing the way the brain and body respond to pain. It has an effect on the central nervous system. In case you are on this drug, you may want to know how long does Lortab stay in your system? Lortab contains hydrocodone, a narcotic pain ingredient.
Although patients should take Lortab orally, some people crush or snort the pill, something that is regarded as illicit use of the drug. Other people may take it with alcohol, which makes it extremely dangerous and could cause serious adverse effects like coma or death. Some people take Lortab so that they get high. This drug induces feeling of euphoria and its abuse is likely to lead to addiction. That’s why the drug is screened during routine drug use tests.
How long Lortab stays in the body?
Lortab has a half-life of about 4 hours meaning that after you have taken a dose, half the amount will still be active and present in body after 4 hours. It takes another 4 hours to have half of the amount of the drug left after the first 4 hours to be present and active in body.
It is considered by pharmacists and doctors that after about 3 to 5 half-lives, about 90 percent of Lortab has already been eliminated from the body and is no longer active. Therefore, the duration you expect to have 90 percent of this drug out of your body system is close to 19 hours.
However, the duration it takes for a drug to get out of body may depend on other factors like weight, metabolism rate, exercise, diet, as well as age. In some cases, it would even take less amount of time to be eliminated from body. When you take Lortab, it is likely to test positive on an opiate screen or test within 24 hours following the last dosage.
After the 24 hours, there is only less amount and most lab tests will not be able to pick it up. The amount of Lortab metabolites found in urine and blood tend to be so low after 24 hours such that tests may not show its presence. Nevertheless, people who heavily use this drug may show positive tests for extended periods.
Factors that determine half-life and peak levels of Lortab
In regard to peak levels as well as half-life of Lortab, it is paramount that patients know they vary with amount ingested. For example, the peak levels may vary based on how the dosage was used— whether a painkiller or anti-tussive. Anti-tussives are drugs that suppress coughing.
A 10 mg Lortab dose might have a half-life less than 4 hours and is able to reach peak level after about 70 to 80 minutes. Since this drug is considered a fast rhythm of metabolism, it means that if you are not a heavy or chronic user, it may not be detected in a routine drug test after the 24 hours period. This is because much of it has already been eliminated in the body. The only drug test method that may show its presence in body for a period of up to 3 months is use of the hair follicle test.
Drug Test Methods
Lortab may be detected in body through various tests. A blood test may show presence of this drug if it is done a few hours after the dose intake but less than 24 hours. When the test is conducted after 24 hours have passed, there are insignificant chances of detecting Lortab in blood. In most cases, a blood test for Lortab is used for things like medical emergencies and impaired driving. These are situations where doctors or authorities believe that an individual may have been under the influence of drugs.
In urine, Lortab attains its maximum concentration in about 8 hours. However, after that period, it decreases significantly. A urine drug test for Lortab may show positive results if it is done within 6 to 24 hours after taking the drug. The only test that may perhaps show presence of Lortab for extended period is hair drug test.
Even if a patient stopped using the drug some few weeks ago, traces of the medicine can be picked up in hair drug test. Since drugs have different rates in which they are eliminated in body, and considering that, they have different duration’s of detection, it means that it may not be easy to know how long the drug remains in body.
Addictive qualities of Lortab
Lortab is regarded as an opiate medicine meaning that it has high addictive ability. When you indulge in illicit use of the drug or take large amounts, it may become addictive. The body can become dependency on this drug when it is used improperly for instance, when you crush the pill, snort the drug, or take larger doses frequently.
