Jurnista

Jurnista is the trade name for hydromorphone HCL. It is indeed a break through in technology as it provides a new long acting formulation in a 'prolonged release tablet' allowing for once daily dosing.
In the treatment of pain disorders requiring narcotic medication long acting preparations are superior in the long run to the short acting preparations. 

Narcotic abuse is sought mostly in the short acting rapid rise preparations.  These short acting medications which peak within minutes to hours are associated with the 'rapid onset high' like the one armed bandit of the casino.  Crack as a drug of abuse is associated smoke rapid brain access.  Smoked marijuana is addiction whereas historically 'ingested' ie eaten or taken as a tea marijuana was considered medicinal. 

In pain short acting medication given 3 or 4 times a day can be like a roller coaster ride for chronic pain.  Yet it's safest to start a short acting medication especially in acute pain.  Hydromorphone now comes in three preparations. IR Hydromorphone given 3 to 4 times per day, CR Hydromorphone given twice a day and now Jurnista given once a day. 

Daily dose of hydromorphone is converted to jurnista using a 1:1 ratio.