Tramadol Offers Limited Pain Relief, Carries Significant Risks, Study Finds
New research published in teh BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine suggests the commonly prescribed painkiller tramadol provides only modest relief for chronic pain and is linked to a heightened risk of serious side effects, particularly heart problems. The findings challenge the perception of tramadol as a safer option to other opioid painkillers.
Researchers from Denmark analyzed data from 19 clinical trials encompassing 6,506 participants experiencing various forms of chronic pain, including nerve pain, osteoarthritis, chronic low back pain, and fibromyalgia. The average participant age was 58. The analysis compared tramadol use to placebo treatments.
While tramadol demonstrated a slight analgesic effect, researchers found it to be limited. More concerningly,eight of the studies reported an increased incidence of serious side effects among those taking tramadol. The drug doubled the risk of cardiovascular issues, including chest pain, coronary artery narrowing or blockage, and heart failure. Milder side effects, such as nausea, dizziness, intestinal blockage, and drowsiness, were also more frequently reported.
The study authors suggest the perceived benefits of tramadol may be inflated due to the placebo effect, meaning the actual pain-relieving properties could be even smaller than observed. Conversely, they believe patients may underestimate the potential for adverse effects, potentially due to healthcare providers characterizing them as less severe than those associated with stronger opioids.
The research highlights a growing concern regarding opioid use globally. Approximately 60 million people worldwide struggle with opioid addiction, and in 2019, nearly 600,000 people died from drug use, with roughly 80% of those deaths linked to opioids. Specifically, in the United States, opioid overdose deaths surged from nearly 50,000 in 2019 to over 80,000 in 2022.
Given these trends and the study’s findings, the researchers strongly recommend minimizing the use of tramadol and other opioids whenever possible. The increasing prescription rates of tramadol, often based on the belief it is less addictive and carries fewer risks than other opioids, are now being questioned in light of this new evidence.