Dear shooter21-ga;
Thank you for allowing me an opportunity to answer your interesting
question.
Tramadol Hydrochloride, which was introduced in Germany in 1977 (now
marketed in the US under the names “Acugesic” and it’s generic name
“Ultram” manufactured by Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical Corp, Raritan,
NJ) is a centrally acting synthetic analgesic (synthetic pain
medication), not a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). It
acts directly on parts of the brain and spinal cord by increasing the
availability of norepinephrine and serotonin, and appears to activate
certain opioid receptors to aid in reducing the level of pain in
patients with moderate to chronic pain. The effect of the drug is a
marked reduction of the magnitude of the pain signal passed from one
nerve to another in the spine and ultimately to the brain. Seizures
have been reported in some patients, particularly in those who take
higher than recommended doses. Seizure risk is increased in patients
taking who are taking:
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI antidepressants or
anoretics -phentermine),
Tricyclic antidepressants and other tricyclic compounds (e.g.,
cyclobenzaprine, promethazine, etc.)
Opioids
MAO inhibitors
Neuroleptics
Any drugs that reduce the seizure threshold
And in patients with epilepsy or with a history of seizures, or in
patients with a recognized risk for seizure (such as head trauma,
metabolic disorders, alcohol and drug withdrawal, and CNS infections
In case studies it has been noted that seizure related to the use of
Tramadol is most commonly caused by accidental overdose or from
prescribed that are higher than recommended. However, seizures in
patients who take the drug appropriately for therapeutic uses has also
been noted in less than 1% in clinical trials and/or reported in
post-marketing experience. It is believed that portions of these are
caused in patients with pre-existing conditions or who are predisposed
to seizures.
A common seizure is described as “generalized tonic-clonic movements
of the extremities with a fixed gaze to the left” lasting two to three
minutes then ending spontaneously followed by lethargy and often 2 to
3 hours of sleep. A Tonic-clonic seizure, as described above, is
similar to a seizure one experiences with epilepsy. “In a generalized
tonic-clonic (grand mal) seizure, the person will usually emit a short
cry and fall to the floor. Their muscles will stiffen (tonic phase)
and then their extremities will jerk and twitch (clonic phase).
Bladder control may be lost. Consciousness is regained slowly. After a
seizure, the person may feel fatigue, confusion and disorientation.
This may last from 5 minutes to several hours or even days. Rarely,
this disorientation may last up to 2 weeks. The person may fall
asleep, or gradually become less confused until full consciousness is
regained.”
EPILEPSY ONTARIO
http://epilepsyontario.org/faqs/seizures/ton-clon.html
While a seizure is always indicative of an abnormal neurological event
that bears some concern and is never a healthy thing to experience,
most patients who do experience a rare tonic-clonic seizure from
taking Tramadol return to the normal baseline neurologic status
afterward.
I want you to read this article that gives a fantastic explanation of
how tonic-clonic seizures come about and how they affect the body. It
is explained in laymen’s terms and make for a very interesting read:
EPILEPSY INFORMATION – SEIZURE TYPES
http://www.epilepsy.org.uk/info/tonicfrm.html
In response to a seizure resulting from the use of Tramadol, the
following course of action is recommended for medical personnel:
“The treatment of patients with seizures from tramadol ingestion
should focus on the primary goal of any resuscitation: airway,
breathing, and circulation. If there is any question of the adequacy
of oxygenation and ventilation, control of the airway and ventilation
is recommended. Ongoing seizure activity should be treated with
benzodiazepines. Although naloxone will reverse the cardiorespiratory
effects of the drug, animal studies have shown increased seizure
activity after its administration in the setting of tramadol
overdose.”
SEIZURE AFTER OVERDOSE OF TRAMADOL
http://www.sma.org/smj/97aug10.htm
I hope you find that that my research exceeds your expectations. If
you have any questions about my research please post a clarification
request prior to rating the answer. I welcome your rating and your
final comments and I look forward to working with you again in the
near future. Thank you for bringing your question to us.
Best regards;
Tutuzdad-ga
INFORMATION SOURCES
ACUGESIC – TRAMADOL – ULTRAM
http://www.1medicine.us/prescription_drugs/medicine_acugesic_info.htm
ULTRAM ONLINE
http://www.1ultramonline.com/ultram-tramadol.htm
http://www.1ultramonline.com/ultram-fullinfo.htm
SEIZURE AFTER OVERDOSE OF TRAMADOL
http://www.sma.org/smj/97aug10.htm
EPILEPSY ONTARIO
http://epilepsyontario.org/faqs/seizures/ton-clon.html
EPILEPSY INFORMATION – SEIZURE TYPES
http://www.epilepsy.org.uk/info/tonicfrm.html
SEARCH STRATEGY
SEARCH ENGINE USED:
Google ://www.google.com
SEARCH TERMS USED:
SEIZURE TRAMADOL ULTRAM
BRAIN SEIZURE TRAMADOL ULTRAM
CONVULSIONS TRAMADOL ULTRAM
OVERDOSE TRAMADOL ULTRAM
WHAT ARE SEIZURES
WHAT CAUSES SEIZURES
LASTING EFFECTS OF SEIZURES
TONIC-CLONIC SEIZURES
TYPES OF SEIZURES |
