Study finds the drug may be riskier than expected
WebMD News from HealthDay
By Steven Reinberg
HealthDay Reporter
MONDAY, Dec. 8, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The narcotic painkiller tramadol (Ultram) seems to be associated with an increased risk of dangerously low blood sugar, Canadian researchers report.
Tramadol is a narcotic drug whose use has increased steadily worldwide.
The new research links taking the drug to around a threefold increased risk of being hospitalized for low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), according to the study.
In some cases, those low blood sugar episodes proved fatal, the researchers said.
However, the association seen in the study doesn't prove a cause-and-effect relationship, and more research is needed, the study authors said.
"Physicians need to be aware that the use of tramadol may be associated with an increased risk of severe hypoglycemia," said co-author Laurent Azoulay, an assistant professor in the department of oncology at McGill University in Montreal.
"Our findings should help them better assess the risks and benefits of this drug," he said.
Though the new research found a much higher risk of low blood sugar with tramadol, it's important to note that the overall risk is still quite low. The study found a serious low blood sugar event occurred in fewer than one person for every 1,000 people taking the drug every year.
Tramadol is considered a weak narcotic drug, Azoulay said. "Weak narcotics are those used for mild-to-moderate pain," he said. Tramadol has grown in popularity because it has been touted to be less likely to be addictive, he added.
Tramadol acts differently than other narcotic drugs. It disrupts the functioning of two chemicals in the body: serotonin and norepinephrine. This is the aspect of the drug that appears to be related to lowering blood sugar, Azoulay explained.
Anyone who takes tramadol is at risk for low blood sugar, not only people with diabetes, who may already be at risk of low blood sugar due to their diabetes treatment, he added.
An analysis of people who have taken the drug suggests that 40 percent of tramadol-induced hypoglycemia cases didn't have any known risk factors, such as diabetes, he said.
source : Painkiller Tramadol Linked to Low Blood Sugar
