Lynn R. Webster, MD
Milwaukee—The investigational analgesic desmetramadol has the same efficacy and safety as the opiate analgesic tramadol, according to two clinical studies, but desmetramadol does not carry the metabolic shortcomings of tramadol.
Tramadol is believed to be safer than Schedule II opioids because it does not cause clinically significant respiratory depression at either therapeutic or supratherapeutic doses. “Overdoses due to tramadol alone are also rare, so it is an