Opioid Overdose in Patients With Concomitant Use of Tramadol and Clopidogrel vs Alternative Antiplatelet Agents

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0735109724080392?via%3Dihub Two AHRQ-funded studies offer insight into the use of tramadol, a synthetic opioid medication used for pain management. One article published in Journal of the American College of Cardiology explored the risk of opioid overdose when tramadol is combined with clopidogrel, a common antiplatelet drug. Researchers found a low rate of opioid overdose for patients who initiated tramadol while using antiplatelet therapy, including clopidogrel. A second study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine examined tramadol prescription trends from 2005 to 2021, revealing higher use in older adults and women, with an annual decrease in prescriptions following the drug’s 2014 reclassification as a controlled substance. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38876295/