Gregory House becomes dependent on Vicodin in House M.D. He uses the prescription painkiller to manage chronic pain caused by an infarction in the quadriceps muscle of his right leg.
House's Vicodin use is a recurring part of his characterization and creates professional, legal, and personal problems. His dependence also complicates his relationship with colleagues, especially when they question whether the drug affects his judgment.
Vicodin is the brand name commonly associated in the United States with a combination of hydrocodone and acetaminophen. The series treats House's use as a substance-dependence storyline rather than as a harmless character quirk.
The show occasionally depicts attempts to stop or control his use, but House repeatedly returns to the medication. The cane, limp, and pain are visual reminders of the injury underlying the dependence.