Gregory House frequently misuses the fictionalized prescription pain medication Vicodin in House, M.D.
Vicodin is a brand name associated with hydrocodone and acetaminophen. In the series, House takes it to manage chronic leg pain caused by an infarction in his quadriceps muscle. His dependence on the drug becomes a major part of his character and creates repeated conflicts at work and in his personal life.
The medication is not merely a character prop. House’s use of Vicodin affects his judgment, relationships, employment, and treatment decisions across multiple storylines. The show also depicts attempts to stop, control, or conceal his use.
Viewers sometimes substitute other opioid painkillers when recalling the story, but Vicodin is the medication consistently associated with House. The program’s fictional cases should not be treated as medical guidance.