Gregory House is known for misusing Vicodin, an opioid painkiller, in House M.D.
House takes Vicodin to manage chronic pain caused by the infarction and resulting damage in his right thigh. The medication becomes a recurring part of his character and story, affecting his judgment, relationships, and ability to work. The show portrays dependence and addiction as ongoing problems rather than a single plot event.
Vicodin is a brand name associated with hydrocodone and acetaminophen. It is not the same drug as OxyContin, which contains extended-release oxycodone, or ibuprofen, a non-opioid anti-inflammatory medicine. House’s reliance on Vicodin is fictionalized for television, and real treatment for chronic pain or substance-use disorder requires individualized medical care.