Dr. Gregory House is dependent on Vicodin in House M.D.
Vicodin is a brand-name combination of hydrocodone and acetaminophen. House uses it to manage chronic pain caused by the infarction and resulting muscle damage in his right leg. His reliance on the drug becomes one of the show's most persistent character and plot elements.
The medication is not presented simply as a prop. House's use affects his judgment, relationships, employment, and ability to practice medicine. Several storylines involve attempts to stop his use, periods of withdrawal, relapse, and the consequences of obtaining or concealing prescriptions.
House's addiction is sometimes loosely described as an addiction to “painkillers,” but Vicodin is the specific recurring drug associated with him. The series also depicts other substances and forms of self-destructive behavior, so identifying the exact medication matters. Vicodin contains an opioid analgesic, hydrocodone, and a non-opioid pain reliever, acetaminophen.