For many years, there has been ongoing research on the P2X7 receptor (P2X7R). A comprehensive, systematic, and objective evaluation of the scientific output and status of P2X7R will be instrumental in guiding future research directions. This study aims to present the status and trends of P2X7R research from 2002 to 2023. Publications related to P2X7R were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection database. Quantitative analysis and visualization tools were Microsoft Excel, VOSviewer, and CiteSpace software. The analysis content included publication trends, literature co-citation, and keywords. 3282 records were included in total, with the majority of papers published within the last 10 years. Based on literature co-citation and keyword analysis, neuroinflammation, neuropathic pain, gastrointestinal diseases, tumor microenvironment, rheumatoid arthritis, age-related macular degeneration, and P2X7R antagonists were considered to be the hotspots and frontiers of P2X7R research. Researchers will get a more intuitive understanding of the status and trends of P2X7R research from this study.