What's the difference between oxycontin and vicodin?

See Below: Oxycontin and vicodin are trade names for prescription narcotic analgesics. The generic drug names are oxycodone and hydrocodone, respectively. Vicodin is hydrocodone combined with acetamenophen, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent. They are effective pain relievers, but are addictive in nature, oxycodone is more so than hydrocodone.

Duration of relief: Vicodin contains hydrocodone and acetominophen. It is a class iii short acting narcotic (4 hours). Oxycontin contains oxycodone, a class ii narcotic. It is long acting (8-12 hours). Both are commonly abused narcotics.

Ocycontin / Vicodon: Their similarities are that they are both opiate analgesics that are effective for pain, but addicting. Oxycontin is oxycodone in a long acting formulation which lasts for 8-12 hours. Vicodin is a combination of hydrocodone + Acetaminophen (aka tylenol) so it is a combination product. The combination is not a long acting product. Duration of action is usually 4-6 hours.