THE strong opioid painkiller, tramadol, is not very effective at easing chronic pain, despite often being prescribed for this purpose, according to a pooled analysis of studies.
The findings also suggested that it likely increases the risk of serious side effects, including heart disease, prompting the researchers to conclude that the potential harms of tramadol probably outweigh its benefits, and that its use should be minimised.
The dual-action opioid is widely prescribed for the treatment of moderate to severe acute and chronic pain, and is recommended in several medical guidelines for pain management.
Danish researchers analysed 19 clinical trials involving over 6,500 participants with chronic pain, including neuropathic pain, osteoarthritis, chronic low back pain and fibromyalgia.
The results showed that while tramadol eased pain, the effect was small and below what would be considered clinically effective.
Meanwhile, there was a doubling in the risk of harms compared with placebo, including heart-related events, such as chest pain, coronary artery disease, and congestive heart failure.
Milder side effects included nausea, dizziness, constipation and sleepiness - more HERE.
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