Clinical efficacy and safety of tapentadol immediate release in the postoperative setting

The appropriate treatment for postoperative pain remains a common dilemma for podiatric surgeons and patients undergoing surgery of the foot and ankle. The treatment of moderate to severe acute pain typically relies heavily on the use of opioid analgesics, such as hydrocodone and oxycodone, which are often associated with adverse effects, including nausea and vomiting. These adverse effects may have a negative impact on postoperative outcomes and reduce patient compliance with analgesic therapy. Tapentadol is a novel, centrally acting analgesic with two mechanisms of action--μ-opioid receptor agonism and norepinephrine reuptake inhibition--in a single molecule. Tapentadol immediate release has been evaluated in a series of clinical trials in patients with postoperative pain after bunionectomy. The results of these studies demonstrate that tapentadol immediate release is associated with an improved gastrointestinal tolerability profile relative to oxycodone immediate release at doses providing comparable analgesia. Therefore, tapentadol immediate release may offer an improved analgesic option for the relief of postoperative pain after podiatric surgery.