all prescription pain killers can be compared in effectiveness. because all drugs have slightly different affinity for the site at which they work in the body, they can be dosed at different milligrams. it is common for pain management doctors to switch between drugs and an equivalent amount of analgesia can be predicted. for instance 2mg of hydromorphone (dilaudid) is about equivalent to 10mg of
oxycodone (percocet). pain management is a delicate process that is tailored to each patient by their physician.