DILAUDID vs ULTRAM

Independent side-by-side comparison.

Rated against independent regulatory sources·Last updated August 20, 2026·How we rate

Possible drug interaction. DILAUDID and ULTRAM are different prescription medicines. Combining or switching between them can cause interactions — talk to a pharmacist or prescriber before making changes. This page is not medical advice.

Attribute	DILAUDID	ULTRAM
Rating	68/100	70/100
Pharmacy pays	$0.57 /mL	~$0.72 /30
Type	RX	RX
Active ingredient	HYDROMORPHONE HYDROCHLORIDE	TRAMADOL HYDROCHLORIDE
Manufacturer	Fresenius Kabi USA	Janssen Pharms
Dosage forms	Injectable, Solution, Tablet	Tablet
Drug class	Opioid Agonist	Opioid Agonist
Boxed warning	Boxed warning	None
Half-life	about 2.3 hours (terminal elimination half-life after an intravenous dose); after an oral dose the label reports a mean T½ of about 2.6 hours for the 8 mg tablet and 2.8 hours for the oral liquid	about 6 hours (mean terminal elimination half-life of tramadol in healthy adults)
Treats	Cough, Postoperative Pain	Pain

dilaudid ultram

Rating

68/100

70/100

Pharmacy pays

$0.57 /mL

~$0.72 /30

Type

Active ingredient

HYDROMORPHONE HYDROCHLORIDE

TRAMADOL HYDROCHLORIDE

Manufacturer

Fresenius Kabi USA

Janssen Pharms

Dosage forms

Injectable, Solution, Tablet

Tablet

Drug class

Opioid Agonist

Boxed warning

None

Half-life

about 2.3 hours (terminal elimination half-life after an intravenous dose); after an oral dose the label reports a mean T½ of about 2.6 hours for the 8 mg tablet and 2.8 hours for the oral liquid

about 6 hours (mean terminal elimination half-life of tramadol in healthy adults)

Treats

Cough, Postoperative Pain

Pain

Frequently asked questions

Which is better-rated, Dilaudid or Ultram?

By our independent rating, Ultram scores higher — 3.5 vs 3.4 out of 5 for Dilaudid. Ratings are based on FDA regulatory (recall-safety) data.

What is the difference between Dilaudid and Ultram?

Dilaudid contains Hydromorphone Hydrochloride, while Ultram contains Tramadol Hydrochloride — they have different active ingredients.

Ratings are based on FDA regulatory (recall-safety) data. This comparison is for general reference only — not medical advice. Always consult a licensed professional before choosing or switching a medication.