Tapentadol is an effective analgesic that was approved by the FDA in 2008. It belongs to the drug class of benzenoid, a central nervous system depressant.
Tapentadol is marketed under numerous brand names, such as nucynta, aspadol, and topcynta, to name a few.
How long does Tapentadol stay in your system? This is one question about Tapentadol patients often wonder. Medical providers and users need to know how long the pain medication stays in the system to prevent potential drug interaction and side effects.
This guide evaluates how long Tapentadol lasts and the factors that contribute to how long this medication lasts.
What Is Nucynta Used For?
Tapentadol is used for the following –
- Tapentadol provides relief from chronic pain.
- It is used for postoperative pain management.
- This opioid pain medication treats moderate to severe pain caused by fibromyalgia, arthritis, and diabetic neuropathy [1].
To explore a wide range of Tapentadol brand versions to treat moderate to severe body pain, you can visit our main category page Tapentadol.
Pharmacokinetics Of Tapentadol
Absorption
Tapentadol is absorbed readily (easily) in the body after consumption.
Distribution
After administration, this medication is widely distributed throughout the system.
Elimination
Tapentadol is metabolized in the liver and excreted through the kidneys [1].
How Long Does Tapentadol Stay In Your System?
The half-life of Tapentadol is 3.93 hours. Half-life is defined as the time required for the amount of a drug’s active compound in your body to reduce by half. About 95% of Tapentadol is eliminated within 24 hours after administration [2].
Tapentadol’s presence in the urine –
Tapentadol can last in the urine for 2-4 days. However, this duration may differ in patients suffering from renal diseases.
Tapentadol’s presence in the hair
Nucynta is detected in the hair follicle for up to 30 days.
Tapentadol’s presence in saliva
Tapentadol is detected in the saliva for around 5 to 6 hours.
Blood test
This opioid pain medication can be detected in blood tests for up to a day [3].
At Vedi Care Health, we have a detailed blog on opioid pain medication that will help you understand it in more depth.
Factors Influencing How Long Does Tapentadol Stay In Your System
Some of the factors influencing how long tapentadol stays in the system are [3] –
Dosage and frequency of use
The consumption of a higher or more frequent dose of Tapentadol can result in drug accumulation. In such cases, it takes longer to eliminate them from the body.
Metabolic Rate
As mentioned above, tapentadol is metabolized in the liver, and people with a faster metabolic rate eliminate the medication quickly. Individuals with slower metabolic rates take longer to break down the drug, making Tapentadol stay longer in the system.
Individual physiology
A few biological characteristics may help in determining how long Tapentadol stays in the system, including age, body mass, hydration level, and organ functioning.
Individuals with higher body mass store the drug in fat molecules that act as reservoirs. This slowly releases the drug into the bloodstream, extending the medication’s effect.
Drug interactions
Tapentadol can interact with other medicines, which can alter its efficacy and increase the risk of adverse events. Moreover, the interaction of tapentadol with other drugs can alter its metabolic rate; thus, it increases or slows down the drug elimination process.
Tapentadol Withdrawal
If you have Tapentadol for a longer duration, especially at higher doses it can lead to physical dependence which can ultimately lead to addiction. Once an individual develops an addiction or physical dependence on Tapentadol and in an attempt to reduce its dosage and quit the drug, you will experience Tapentadol withdrawal symptoms.
The most common symptoms of Tapentadol withdrawal include – shivering, nausea, vomiting, anxiety, breathing difficulties, stomach ache, runny nose, muscle aches, blurry vision, increased blood pressure, restlessness, hallucination, and difficulty falling or staying asleep [4].
Tapering off tapentadol slowly can help reduce the intensity of its withdrawal symptoms.
Conclusion
Tapentadol can remain detectable in your system for different durations based on the type of test done. Understanding how long this medication stays in your system can help you manage its use and prepare an individual for any drug testing. If you have any doubt about how long Tapentadol is detectable in your system, it’s better to consult with a healthcare provider.
FAQs
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References
- Tapentadol hydrochloride: A novel analgesic, ncbi
- Role of Tapentadol Immediate Release (Nucynta) in the Management Of Moderate-to-Severe Pain, NCBI
- How Long Does Tapentadol Stay in Your System? bicyclehealth.
- Tapentadol (Oral Route), mayoclinic