Tramadol: What Is It And What Is It Used For?

Tramadol is a drug indicated to relieve pain. To do this, it acts on specific nerve cells in the spinal cord and brain. However, the mechanism of action of this drug will be discussed in more detail later.

Specifically, tramadol is an effective pain reliever for pain experienced by a patient after an operation. A single dose of 100 milligrams of this drug is equivalent to 1 gram of paracetamol, one of the most widely used drugs in the world for pain.

It belongs to the pharmacological family of opioids. However, tramadol exhibits a different behavior from that of opioid drugs.

In addition to its usefulness in relieving pain, its use as an antidepressant and against obsessive compulsive disorder has also been investigated, since it works by increasing the release of serotonin. However, there are still no studies of its effects as a long-term antidepressant.

Learning about opioid drugs

The family of opioids is a set of active principles that are characterized by having a highly analgesic effect. They act by interacting with receptors found mainly in the central nervous system and in the gastrointestinal tract.

Although the term opiate is commonly used to refer to all opium-like drugs, it is more appropriate to limit its scope to the natural alkaloids of opium and their semi-synthetic derivatives.

In this sense, we can differentiate three large groups :

• Opium alkaloids : morphia and codeine.
• Semi-synthetic opioids : heroin and oxycodone.
• Synthetic opioids : tramadol.

How does tramadol exert its effect on the body?

The mechanism of action of this drug is dual, that is, it triggers its analgesic effect thanks to the combination of two simultaneous mechanisms. On the one hand, it has an agonist activity on the central opioid receptors of the μ type.

In addition to its agonism with opiate receptors, the analgesic effect of tramadol is also due to its ability to block the reuptake of synaptic amines. Hence, they have wanted to investigate other indications of this drug with depression.

Therefore, it inhibits the reuptake of norepinephrine and serotonin in the central nervous system and thus prevents the transmission of the pain impulse through the spinal cord.

What is tramadol indicated for?

Tramadol is a drug indicated for the treatment of pain of moderate to severe intensity, as we mentioned at the beginning of the article.

When administering this medicine, the dose a should be adjusted to the intensity of pain and the individual sensitivity of each patient. However, the lowest possible effective dose should always be administered, in order to avoid adverse effects.

There are certain population groups in which the dose adjustment must be more careful because, due to their clinical situation, they are more prone to complications. These are:

• Adults and adolescents over 12 years old : they should never exceed a daily dose of 400 mg. In the event that the condition is very serious and requires prolonged treatment, a rigorous monitoring of the treatment by the specialist must be carried out.
• Older people : no dose adjustment is usually necessary until age 75 if there is no symptomatic kidney or liver failure. At an older age, the dosing intervals tend to lengthen.
• Patients with renal and hepatic insufficiency : the doctor usually lengthens the dosing intervals according to the clinical needs of each patient.

Adverse reactions of tramadol

Tramadol, like other drugs, is not without adverse effects. Among the most common are nausea and dizziness. However, it can also trigger other symptoms such as :

• Vision disturbances.
• Nervous system involvement.
• Psychiatric disorders : dependence.
• Gastrointestinal system problems.

This drug is a prescription medicine, so it should not be taken without medical authorization. Misuse of tramadol can lead to dependency with serious health consequences.