Gregory House is known for misusing Vicodin in House M.D.
Vicodin is a prescription painkiller containing hydrocodone and paracetamol, also called acetaminophen. In the series, House takes it to manage chronic pain caused by an infarction in the quadriceps muscle of his right leg. His reliance on the drug becomes one of the character's defining medical and personal conflicts.
House's Vicodin use affects his judgment, relationships, employment, and treatment of patients. Several storylines examine withdrawal, rehabilitation, deception, and the difficulty of separating legitimate pain management from addiction. The show uses the issue both as a medical problem and as a source of character drama.
Vicodin is not the same as a general anesthetic or an antibiotic, and it is not House's medical specialty. The drug's presence is a recurring plot element, while the leg injury explains why House first began using it. The series portrays consequences dramatically rather than offering a complete guide to pain treatment.