Widely โused Painkiller Tramadol Questioned for Effectiveness, Linked โฃtoโ Increased Health Risks
Millions ofโฃ French patients-over 5 million, according to health insurance data-might โpotentially beโ taking โa โขpain medication โคwhose benefits โขare now under โserious scrutiny. A new study published โin the British Medicalโ Journal casts doubt on the effectiveness of tramadol for chronic โpain and highlights a significantly increased risk of โadverse effects, including potentially life-threatening heart problems.
Danish researchers โconductedโ the first comprehensive synthesis of studiesโค examining tramadol โฃuse forโ all types of chronic pain, with โaโค particularโค focus on side effects. their findings โreveal “limited analgesic benefits and an increased โrisk of โharm,” leading them to conclude that the potentialโ risks likelyโ outweigh the drugS modest advantages. The study estimatesโ tramadol provides onyl โคa slight โคreduction in pain levels-below what is considered a meaningful difference compared to a placebo-despite being prescribed for moderate to โคsevere pain.
researchers found the โคrisk of adverse effects from tramadol is twice as high as with โขplacebos, specifically citing concernsโฃ about coronary heart disease โคand heart failure. “The use of tramadol for chronic painโฃ should be reconsidered, favoring safer alternatives,” the authors assert.โข
dr. Janus Jakobsen, lead author of the study, advised patients to “consult โคtheir doctor toโค determine the most appropriate treatment for theirโ condition,” in a recent CNN report.
This study adds to existingโ concerns about tramadol.France has already implemented โmeasures to curbโข misuse and addiction, including limiting prescriptions to a maximum of threeโข months and requiring secure prescriptions.โ However, tramadolโค remains theโข painkiller most frequently implicated โin โฃanalgesic-related deaths in France, surpassing even โฃmorphine and codeine. Health officials recommend it be prescribed only afterโ other options have been explored.