Tapentadol Tablets exert their action via a dual mechanism to help in relieving moderate-to-severe pain. It acts as a μ-opioid receptor and a norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor. Tapentadol exhibits effects that are similar to ‘Tramadol’. On consuming Tapentadol Tablets via oral administration, you will experience an ‘Analgesic‘ effect that sets in within about thirty minutes and lasts for at least four to six hours.
The medicine works to drive away pain by ‘Stimulating’ the μ-opioid receptor and ‘Inhibiting’ the reuptake of norepinephrine. However, Tapentadol, unlike Tramadol, shows only weak effects when it comes to serotonin reuptake. The effectiveness of this medication in terms of ‘Potency’ lies somewhere between Tramadol and Morphine.
Tapentadol Tablets received their official approval for medical use in the USA in November 2008 by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration). This drug is popularly available around the world as the brand Nucynta.
What is the exact Mechanism of Action of Tapentadol?
In their true essence, Tapentadol Tablets act on the central nervous system to produce an ‘Analgesic’ effect. It is also a fact that this drug’s exact mode of action is yet not known. Thus, even though the actual clinical action of Tapentadol Tablets remains a history. A few studies do indicate that this drug exerts an ‘Analgesic’ effect to provide relief from pain by acting as an agonist of the μ-opioid receptor and reuptake serotonin inhibitor.
Medical uses of Tapentadol Tablets:
Tapentadol Tablets, in simple medical terms, is a narcotic or opioid medication that helps effectively treat pain from moderate to severe.
Besides, you must know that the extended-release form of the Tapentadol Tablets is to be used on a daily and not as-needed basis.
Before using Tapentadol Tablets, you need to understand that this drug will not effectively provide you relief from pain if you use it as soon as you feel the ache in any part of your body. This medication will never work if you decide to use it only after your pain worsens.
What is the ideal dosage schedule for taking Tapentadol Tablets?
If you are in severe pain and therefore want to know what dosage schedule of Tapentadol Tablets shall provide you with relief, then you must understand that it depends on the type of pain, i.e. Chronic and Acute. Hence here is then presenting you with the dose plan. They are:
Adult Dosage for Acute Pain:
The initial dose of Tapentadol Tablets to treat Acute Pain is 50 to 100 mg every four to six hours as needed. Therefore, you can adjust the dosage from 50 to 100, keeping in mind the amount of analgesic effect needed and the tolerability factor.
Adult Dosage for Chronic Pain:
For chronic pain, on the other hand, there are three types of doses of Tapentadol Tablets available in the form of extended-release that you can use. They include:
Initial Dose:
Take 50 mg two times a day
Maintenance Dose:
100 mg to 250 mg taken via the mouth twice a day
Finally, there is the Maximum Dose which is 500 mg/day.
It is also important to note that while consuming Tapentadol Tablets, there is a possibility that you may either miss a dose or overdose. Under both these undesirable situations, you need to know how to deal with them effectively. Hence, here are a few tips on resolving the issue of skipping a dosage and consuming too much of it.
Missed Dose:
Since Tapentadol Tablets are pain medication you need to take daily and not on an as-needed basis, it is doubtful you will skip a dose. If you do, you mustn’t make up for the missed dose.
Overdosing:
If you happen to have an overdose of Tapentadol Tablets, you must immediately seek medical assistance by calling your doctor or contacting a helpline number. Specifically, this medication is ‘Narcotic’ in its content, which can trigger severe side effects such as pinpoint pupils, drowsiness, no and slow breathing. It may even prove fatal if these are not treated in time.
Side-effects and severe adverse effects of Tapentadol Tablets:
Consuming synthetic drugs such as Tapentadol Tablets can lead to several side-effects and adverse effects that you need to know. They are as follows:
Side-effects:
1. Breathing difficulty
2. Rapid beating of the heart
3. Hives
4. Swelling of lips, tongue, throat
5. Stomach problems or constipation
6. Dizziness
7. Drowsiness
8. Tiredness
9. Headaches
Adverse effects:
Also, if you observe these effects mentioned below after consuming Tapentadol Tablets, you need to call your doctor immediately.
1. Breathing problems, i.e. noisy, shallow, and none
2. A seizure
3. Lightheadedness
4. Serotonin syndrome includes symptoms such as nausea, diarrhoea, twitching etc
What drugs are likely to interact with Tapentadol Tablets?
Many medications interact and interfere with Tapentadol Tablets that you need to be aware of are.
1. Valium
2. Xanax
3. Klonopin
4. Other narcotic medications
5. Antidepressants and stimulants
6. Blood pressure and allergy medications
7. Muscle relaxants and sleep medications
Precautions that you need to take before consuming Tapentadol Tablets:
Before taking Tapentadol Tablets, one of the first preventive measures, you must avoid taking this medicine if you have consumed MAO inhibitor (a type of antidepressant). It is because there is a possibility of a dangerous drug interaction occurring.
You must avoid using Tapentadol Tablets if you have severe breathing issues or a bowel obstruction disorder such as paralytic ileus. If you are pregnant, you must inform your doctor before using this medicine.
It is mainly because using Tapentadol Tablets can trigger dangerous withdrawal symptoms that threaten the newborn baby’s life.