Prophylaxis and treatment of post-anaesthetic shivering and untoward thermogenesis with tramadol

Muscular thermogenesis which accompanies muscular shivering, occurs during the emergence from general anaesthesia, in regional anaesthetic procedures and in post-transfusion pyretic reactions. The aim of this clinical study, which included a total number of 74 patients, was to determine prophylactic and therapeutic properties of tramadol in different situations associated with shivering. Prophylactic administration of tramadol was 100% successful. Therapeutic use of tramadol stopped the shivering after caesarean section immediately, while following other operations and blood transfusions it took 2.7 +/- 0.7 and 5.3 +/- 0.9 min, respectively. The average effective tramadol doses needed in these groups of patients were: 25.0, 68.5 and 100.0 mg, respectively. It is concluded that the dose of tramadol used and the time until the cessation of shivering depend on the duration of previous hypothermia.