User:Mr. Ibrahem/Tapentadol

Tapentadol, sold under the brand names Nucynta among others, is an opioid pain medication. It may be used for moderate to severe pain of short or long duration. It is taken by mouth. Onset occurs in about 30 minutes and lasts for 4–6 hours.

Common side effects include nausea, sleepiness, constipation, and itchiness. Other side effects may include seizures, low blood pressure, addiction, serotonin syndrome, and insufficient breathing (respiratory depression). Use during pregnancy may harm the baby. Risk of misuse is similar to other strong opioids. While how it works is not entirely clear, it acts on the μ-opioid receptor and increases both serotonin and norepinephrine levels.

Tapentadol was approved for medical use in the United States in 2008, Australia in 2010, and in the UK and India in 2011. In the United States it costs about 230 USD for 30 tablets of 50 mg immediate release formulation as of 2021. This amount in the United Kingdom costs the NHS about £15. It also comes in a slow release formulation.