The use of tapentadol in a patient with postherpetic neuralgia Case report
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Published:
May 31, 2026
Keywords:
tapentadol, pain, therapy
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Abstract
When choosing an analgesic, we rely on the WHO analgesic ladder. When drugs from steps I and II cease to be effective, we must resort to strong opioid medications. This raises the issue of selecting the appropriate active ingredient and individually selecting an effective dose. This article discusses the practical principles of opioid therapy, with particular emphasis on the relatively new option of tapentadol. This representative of a new class of drugs with a dual mechanism of action on pain pathways, finding application in the treatment of moderate to severe pain.
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How to Cite
Sapilak, B. J. (2026). The use of tapentadol in a patient with postherpetic neuralgia. Medycyna Faktow (J EBM), 19(1(70), 96-101. https://doi.org/10.24292/01.MF.0126.13
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References
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14. Schwartz S, Etropolski M, Shapiro DY et al. Safety and efficacy of tapentadol ER in patients with painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy: results of a randomized-withdrawal, placebo-controlled trial. Curr Med Res Opin. 2011; 27: 151-62.
15. Gressler LE, Hammond DA, Painter JT. Serotonin syndrome in tapentadol literature: systematic review of original research. J Pain Palliat Care Pharmacother. 2017; 31(3–4): 228-36.
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2. Waldhoer M, Bartlett SE, Whistler JL. Opioid receptors. Annu Rev Biochem. 2004; 73: 953-90.
3. Mollereau C, Parmentier M, Mailleux P et al. ORL1, a novel member of the opioid receptor family. Cloning, functional expression and localization. FEBS Lett. 1994; 341(1): 33-8.
4. Schröder W, Vry JD, Tzschentke TM et al. Differential contribution of opioid and noradrenergic mechanisms of tapentadol in rat models of nociceptive and neuropathic pain. Eur J Pain. 2010; 14: 814-21.
5. Fornasari D. Pain pharmacology: focus on opioids. Clin Cases Miner Bone Metab. 2014; 11(3): 165-8.
6. Vadivelu N, Kai A, Maslin B et al. Tapentadol extended release in the management of peripheral diabetic neuropathic pain. Ther Clin Risk Manag. 2015; 11: 95-105.
7. Schröder W, Tzschentke TM, Terlinden R et al. Synergistic Interaction between the Two Mechanisms of Action of Tapentadol in Analgesia. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2011; 337(1): 312-20.
8. Kołodziej D. Tapentadol – nowy analgetyk opioidowy. Farmacja Wsp. 2015; 8: 1-9.
9. Baron R, Eberhart L, Kern KU et al. Tapentadol Prolonged Release for Chronic Pain: A Review of Clinical Trials and 5 Years of Routine Clinical Practice Data. Pain Pract. 2017; 17: 678-700.
10. Tzschentke TM, Christoph T, Kögel B et al. (-)-(1R,2R)-3-(3-dimethylamino-1-ethyl-2-methyl-propyl)-phenol hydrochloride (tapentadol HCl): a novel mu-opioid receptor agonist/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor with broad-spectrum analgesic properties. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2007; 323(1): 265-76.
11. Zajączkowska R, Wordliczek J, Kocot-Kępska M. Tapentadol – nowy opioid o unikalnym, podwójnym mechanizmie działania i szerokich możliwościach zastosowania – przegląd danych klinicznych. Ból. 2025; 26, (1): 25-41.
12. Pharmindex.pl.
13. Buynak R, Shapiro DY, Okamoto A et al. Efficacy and safety of tapentadol extended release for the management of chronic low back pain: results of a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo- and active-controlled Phase III study. Expert Opin Pharmacother. 2010; 11: 1787-804.
14. Schwartz S, Etropolski M, Shapiro DY et al. Safety and efficacy of tapentadol ER in patients with painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy: results of a randomized-withdrawal, placebo-controlled trial. Curr Med Res Opin. 2011; 27: 151-62.
15. Gressler LE, Hammond DA, Painter JT. Serotonin syndrome in tapentadol literature: systematic review of original research. J Pain Palliat Care Pharmacother. 2017; 31(3–4): 228-36.
16. Raffa RB, Buschmann H, Christoph T et al. Mechanistic and functional differentiation of tapentadol and tramadol. Expert Opin Pharmacother. 2012; 13(10): 1437-49.