Tapentadol

Chronic pain is a condition that is well recognized internationally and has a major effect on the quality of people’s lives. Since there are many treatments available in the market, it becomes quite daunting to choose the treatment of choice. Such treatment option is Tapentadol, a medication that has gained popularity in the management of moderate to severe chronic pain. This beautiful guide about Tapentadol will introduce to you all the aspects related to Tapentadol like what is it used for, how it works (how it works or what is its action) recommended dosage, what is the incidence of use of other drugs with Tapentadol, and what are all its Side effects.

About Tapentadol

Tapentadol is a centrally acting analgesic of the opioid analgesic class. The medication has been licensed by the FDA of the United States for the mitigation of moderate as well as severe acute pain in adults. Being a mu-opioid receptor agonist, it is different from other opioids; it is also a norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor. The pain relief provided by tapentadol affects the receptive nerve regions situated in its main part of the nervous system.

Tapentadol Uses

Tapentadol is mainly prescribed for the control of moderate to severe acute pain, including after surgery or other operations. It has also been approved for treatment of chronic pain which includes lower back pain, spinal stenosis and cervical disc pain. Recently, use of Tapentadol has increased, especially in chronic pain which is hard to relieve by normal analgesics.

How does Tapentadol work?

Tapentadol offers its analgesic effect through the following three major ways; mu-opioid receptor agonism and norepinephrine reuptake inhibition. Because it binds with mu-opioid receptors, it blocks pain messages in the brains’ central nervous system. Moreover, tapentadol hampers norepinephrine reuptake inhibition, producing a more opioid mechanism pain relief analgesic effect. This twin action makes Tapentadol safer to patients than other opioids because it involves two different mechanisms of action that gives a balance to the medication.

Usage and Dosage

Tapentadol is available as immediate release and extended release based on the ailment it is administered for. It can therefore be taken with or without food and should be swallowed whole with a glass of water. The dose of Tapentadol is based on how much of the pain you have and a patient’s past health and the effect that Tapentadol has on other medications. The starting dose for irregular tablets is between fifty and one hundred milligrams every 4 to 6 hours as the need for pain arises. For extended release tablets, the dose ranges between 99 mg to 250 mg per day with the dosage taken only once in a day. It should not be taken more than that recommended amount per day. Withdrawal symptoms can occur if you stop using Tapentadol, so do not quit the use of the medication without first speaking to your doctor.

Side effects of Tapentadol

As with all medications, Tapentadol can produce side effects. Some of the mild side effects are; Nausea, dizziness, fatigue, constipation, vomiting. Most of these side effects are harmless and are likely to reduce as the body acclimatizes to the drug. However, in the case that the side effects become worse you should contact your doctor right away.

Risks and Precautions

It is necessary that anyone on Tapentadol should tell their doctor his or her current health status and other health products that he or she is using. The medications may interact with Tapentadol causing severe side reactions of the medications or reducing the effectiveness of the medications. Some potential risks and precautions include:

1. Respiratory depression: This drug may make you or your breathing process slow or become very shallow especially when taken in large doses or when used together with other medicines that can make you drowsy such as sleeping pills, alcohol or anxiety medications.
2. Constipation: The common side effects of Tapentadol Include; Tapentadol is an opioid drug that affects the gastrointestinal system, this results in constipation.
3. Hypersensitivity: Potential side effects are a possibility of allergic reaction to Tapentadol. Signs of an allergic reaction include rash, itch, hives, shortness of breath, and swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat.
4. Tolerance and dependence: Higher doses are possible, if the patient acquires tolerance to the drug; that is, higher doses of the drug will be necessary to obtain the desired analgesic effect. The users of the medication can even become physically dependent on the substance and cannot easily stop using it.

Tapentadol Interactions

The painkiller Tapentadol can be abused. Some of these interactions include:

1. Central nervous system depressants: When Tapentadol is used in conjunction with alcohol, sedatives, tranquilisers or any other opioid containing product, the combination can cause life threatening respiratory depression, coma or death.
2. Antidepressants: Combining Tapentadol with some antidepressants such as SSRI or SNRI worsens Serotonergic effects, including serotonin syndrome, leading to a life threatening condition.
3. CYP2D6 inhibitors: Tapentadol should not be taken with other medicines such as quinidine, fluoxetine and paroxetine because these drugs slow the metabolism of the drug, as these drugs interfere with CYP2D6 enzyme metabolism. As a result this interaction may lead to a raise in Tapentadol concentration and thereby an increase in potential side effects.

Conclusion

Contrary to other medications used in the treatment of moderate to severe chronic pain, tapentadol is fast-acting and provides excellent relief with rather intense doses for most patients. So, the patients accurately explain the uses, how it works, how it is taken, side effects, the risks involved and how it may interact with other substances in the body. If you are inclined to take a Tapentadol for chronic pain relief, talk to your doctor to find out whether it is right for you.