If you went to the doctor’s office looking for relief from pain, and he/she prescribed you Ultracet (Tramadol HCL and Acetaminophen), this literature will prove beneficial to you. You will learn about the effects that Ultracet will have on your body, and other special indications that you should be aware of when taking Ultracet.
Ultracet comes in tablet form. Each tablet is light yellow, film-coated, and embossed with the symbols “O-M” on one side, and “650” on the other. Each tablet also contains 37.5 milligrams of Tramadol HCL and 325 milligrams of Acetaminophen.
Ultracet is used for the short term management of acute pain. Ultracet is not to be used for more than five days. The recommended dose is two tablets every four to six hours as needed for pain relief. The maximum number of Ultracet tablets that can be taken in one day is eight. If you are a patient with renal impairment (which means you have a creatinine clearance of less than 30mL per minute), the recommended dosing interval would be two tablets every twelve hours as needed for pain relief.
Since Ultracet is a combination drug, there are three drugs at work which are providing pain relief simultaneously. Tramadol controls and ceases the activity of norepinephrine and serotonin. Tramadol’s primary active ingredient is its metabolite, known as M1. M1 is up to six times more potent than Tramadol in producing analgesia. Acetaminophen relives pain by stopping the producing of prostaglandin in the central nervous system and through a peripheral action by blocking the pain impulse generation. Onset of analgesia is evident within one hour after administration of Ultracet and it reaches a peak in approximately two or three hours. It’s important to note that food delays the time for peak plasma concentrations to be reached with Ultracet. Food affects Tramadol by 35 minutes, and for acetaminophen b, one hour.
You may see adverse effects if Ultracet is used with tricyclic antidepressants, MAO inhibitors, and serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Quinidine is a selective inhibitor of the isoenzyme that metabolizes Tramadol to the M1 that was mentioned earlier. So taking Quinidine alongside Ultracet can cause increased concentrations of Tramadol and lower concentrations of M1. If you use carbamazepine while taking Ultracet, this significantly increases the metabolism of Tramadol. Do not use Ultracet with other acetaminophen products or alcohol at any time, due the significant risk of hepatotoxicity.
If you are a patient who has shown an overly sensitive reaction to Tramadol, acetaminophen, or in opioids, Ultracet may not be for you. If you have ever has acute intoxication with alcohol, hypnotics, centrally acting analgesics psychotropic drugs, or opioids, Ultracet may cause negative effects in you system. Tramadol has shown to increase the effects seizures in patients who are epileptic, and in those patients who are taking serotonin reuptake inhibitors, MAO inhibitors, tricyclic antidepressants, neuroleptics, and opioids. Ultracet should not be used in patients who have had a past or present history of addictions or dependence on opioids. Cautions should be exercised when using Ultracet in patients who have renal impairment and in patients who are at a risk for respiratory depression, intracranial pressure, or head injury. Ultracet is also not recommended to use in liver function impairment and in obstetrical preoperative medication, or even in post-delivery analgesia in nursing mothers.
While using Ultracet, you may experience side effects. The side effects for Ultracet include constipation, somnolence, increased sweating, diarrhea, nausea, anorexia, dry mouth, dizziness, pruritis (itching sensation), insomnia, and prostates disorder in men, although this is not too common.
While taking Ultracet, there are a few things you should remember. Since Ultracet does cause drowsiness, use with caution when operation heavy machinery, or when in situations that require mental alertness…such as driving. Remember not to take alcohol while taking Ultracet. If you experience any stomach upset upon taking Ultracet, you may take Ultracet with food or milk, even though the analgesic effect may be delayed. Never exceed the prescribed dosage, and always store Ultracet in a cool, dry place away from children and sunlight. Keep in mind that using Ultracet in a way that is not recommended may produce psychic and physical dependence of the morphine type.
