Is Tramadol Harmful? Not if Taken
Properly
Jesse Andrews
- April 23, 2008
Similar to
morphine, Tramadol is a drug pertaining to the class of
synthetic opioids. It is recommended for the long-term
treatment of pain, particularly in the case of osteoarthritis
(degenerative join disease) and low back pain. The medication
is completely excluded from use in patients allergic to
its compounds, which have a history of anaphylactic shock
or have presented a hyper sensibility to the drug in the
past. Doctors are also against giving it to patients who
are known as addicts and the reasons are quite obvious.
What are the signs of allergic
reactions? They include skin eruptions, acute and intense
dyspnea, swelling in various parts of the body (usually
face or throat). The skin eruption ranges from just red
spots on the skin to formation of vesicles and desquamation.
The tension might decrease and the pulse weaken, other
symptoms continuing to appear until the patient passes
out or enters an unfortunate state of shock. It is highly
important to discover if you are allergic to Tramadol
before you take it; otherwise, the consequences might
be fatal.
As for drug interactions,
there is a wide range of medication that is influenced
by the presence of Tramadol in the circulatory system.
There are MAO inhibitors, antidepressants, carbamazepine,
warfarin, digoxin but any vitamins, minerals or herbs
are also likely to influence/be influenced by this analgesic.
Studies have shown that carbamazepine administered at
the same with Tramadol increases the metabolic rate of
this opioid, thus reducing the pain-killing effect and
raising the possibility of seizures.
Tramadol is a powerful
analgesic that has its main effect on the nervous system
and this is why it should never be taken simultaneously
with similar medication or alcohol. There is a risk of
respiratory depression, presenting almost the same symptoms
as an overdose with difficult breathing, intense sweating
and hypotension. The patient can also experience a general
weakness in the body, accompanied by gastrointestinal
symptoms (nausea, vomiting) and anorexia. Accidental ingestion
can represent a cause of overdose just like taking a larger
dose of Tramadol, being manifested by symptoms like somnolence,
decreased heartbeat or various degrees of coma.
Wanting to know more about
the potential risks and benefits brought by Tramadol,
doctors have performed rigorous studies on groups of patients.
The drug was given to a group and the other group received
what is known as placebo medication (inert drug). The
findings were quite interesting. It seems that only a
very small percent of the placebo group showed signs of
improvement (they were treated for chronic pain as well);
still, in the first group, Tramadol was quite efficient.
When taken in normal doses, Tramadol had no noticeable
effect on the heart rate, or in other cardiovascular function.
There were several cases when hypotension was present,
one of the side effects that many patients had previously
described. Clinical studies have also revealed that Tramadol
interacts with medication such as quinidine.
The dose recommended for
Tramadol is not dependent according to gender but it relies
extremely on the age of the patient. While the administration
of Tramadol is not to be given under the age of 18, certain
precautions must be taken in elderly patients, as they
stand a higher change of adverse reactions. Doctors are
also extremely cautious when it comes to giving Tramadol
to patients who suffer from kidney or liver damage, being
more inclined not to recommend it all. The drug must not
be administered (under no circumstance) to those that
have a history of drug abuse, who have attempted suicide
or suffer from mental illness such as schizophrenia.
Tramadol is widely administered
orally, being metabolized at a higher rate when taken
with food. The drug is metabolized at hepatic level and
the metabolites are eliminated through the kidneys. In
patients suffering from renal dysfunction, Tramadol is
not recommended particularly because the metabolites cannot
be completely excreted and there is a high risk of toxic
effects. Caution is essential also in the case of patients
who have head injuries or increased intracranial pressure;
they present a higher risk of respiratory depression.
As you can see, Tramadol must not be taken just like that.
You need to contact a doctor and establish a treatment
plan together; that is, if you do not want to suffer unwanted
consequences, including allergic reactions or overdose
symptoms!
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November 12th , 2008 - 
