1,788
Views
77
CrossRef citations to date
0
Altmetric
Critical Care

Tramadol overdose causes seizures and respiratory depression but serotonin toxicity appears unlikely

&
Pages 545-550 | Received 11 Feb 2015, Accepted 26 Mar 2015, Published online: 22 Apr 2015

References

  • Grond S, Sablotzki A. Clinical pharmacology of tramadol. Clinical Pharmacokinetics 2004; 43:879–923.
  • Bamigbade TA, Langford RM. Tramadol hydrochloride: aAn overview of current use. Hosp Med 1998; 59:373–376.
  • Spiller HA, Gorman SE, Villalobos D, Benson BE, Ruskosky DR, Stancavage MM, Anderson DL. Prospective multicenter evaluation of tramadol exposure. J Toxicol Clin Toxicol 1997; 35:361–364.
  • ADRAC. Tramadol-four years’ experience. Aust Adv Drug React Bull 2003; 22:2–3.
  • Leppert W. Tramadol as an analgesic for mild to moderate cancer pain. Pharmacol Rep 2009; 61:978–992.
  • Kaye K. Trouble with tramadol. Aust Prescr 2004; 27:26–27.
  • Lee CR, McTavish D, Sorkin E. Tramadol Drugs 1993; 46:313–340.
  • Clarot F, Goulle JP, Vaz E, Proust B. Fatal overdoses of tramadol: is benzodiazepine a risk factor of lethality? Forensic Sci Int 2003; 134:57–61.
  • De Decker K, Cordonnier J, Jacobs W, Coucke V, Schepens P, Jorens PG. Fatal intoxication due to tramadol alone: case report and review of the literature. Forensic Sci Int 2008; 175:79–82.
  • Shadnia S, Soltaninejad K, Heydari K, Sasanian G, Abdollahi M. Tramadol intoxication: a review of 114 cases. Hum Exp Toxicol 2008; 27:201–205.
  • Gardner JS, Blough D, Drinkard CR, Shatin D, Anderson G, Graham D, Alderfer R. Tramadol and seizures: a surveillance study in a managed care population. Pharmacotherapy 2000; 20:1423–1431.
  • Egberts AC, ter Borgh J, Brodie-Meijer CC. Serotonin syndrome attributed to tramadol addition to paroxetine therapy. Int Clin Psychopharmacol 1997; 12:181–182.
  • Lantz MS, Buchalter EN, Giambanco V. Serotonin syndrome following the administration of tramadol with paroxetine. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 1998; 13:343–345.
  • Ripple MG, Pestaner JP, Levine BS, Smialek JE. Lethal combination of tramadol and multiple drugs affecting serotonin. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 2000; 21:370–374.
  • Mason BJ, Blackburn KH. Possible serotonin syndrome associated with tramadol and sertraline coadministration. Ann Pharmacother 1997; 31:175–177.
  • Garrett PM. Tramadol overdose and serotonin syndrome manifesting as acute right heart dysfunction. Anaesth Intensive Care 2004; 32:575–577.
  • Houlihan DJ. Serotonin syndrome resulting from coadministration of tramadol, venlafaxine, and mirtazapine. Ann Pharmacother 2004; 38:411–413.
  • Nelson EM, Philbrick AM. Avoiding serotonin syndrome: the nature of the interaction between tramadol and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Ann Pharmacother 2012; 46:1712–1716.
  • Isbister GK, Bowe SJ, Dawson A, Whyte IM. Relative toxicity of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in overdose. J Toxicol Clin Toxicol 2004; 42:277–285.
  • Buckley NA, Whyte IM, Dawson AH, Reith DA. Preformatted admission charts for poisoning admissions facilitate clinical assessment and research. Ann Emerg Med 1999; 34:476–482.
  • Berling I, Whyte IM, Isbister GK. Oxycodone overdose causes naloxone responsive coma and QT prolongation. QJM 2013; 106:35–41.
  • Dunkley EJ, Isbister GK, Sibbritt D, Dawson AH, Whyte IM. The hunter serotonin toxicity criteria: simple and accurate diagnostic decision rules for serotonin toxicity. QJM 2003; 96:635–642.
  • Buckley NA, Dawson AH, Isbister GK. Serotonin syndrome. BMJ 2014; 348:g1626.
  • Gonzalez-Pinto A, Imaz H, De Heredia JL, Gutierrez M, Mico JA. Mania and tramadol-fluoxetine combination. Am J Psychiatry 2001; 158:964–965.
  • John AP, Koloth R. Severe serotonin toxicity and manic switch induced by combined use of tramadol and paroxetine. Aust N Z J Psychiatry 2007; 41:192–193.
  • Kesavan S, Sobala GM. Serotonin syndrome with fluoxetine plus tramadol. J R Soc Med 1999; 92:474–475.
  • Kitson R, Carr B. Tramadol and severe serotonin syndrome. Anaesthesia 2005; 60:934–935.
  • Lange-Asschenfeldt C, Weigmann H, Hiemke C, Mann K. Serotonin syndrome as a result of fluoxetine in a patient with tramadol abuse: plasma level-correlated symptomatology. J Clin Psychopharmacol 2002; 22:440–441.
  • Mahlberg R, Kunz D, Sasse J, Kirchheiner J. Serotonin syndrome with tramadol and citalopram. Am J Psychiatry 2004; 161:1129.
  • Mittino D, Mula M, Monaco F. Serotonin syndrome associated with tramadol-sertraline coadministration. Clin Neuropharmacol 2004; 27:150–151.
  • Marquardt KA, Alsop JA, Albertson TE. Tramadol exposures reported to statewide poison control system. Ann Pharmacother 2005; 39:1039–1044.
  • Kumar VV, Isbister GK, Duffull SB. The effect of decontamination procedures on the pharmacodynamics of venlafaxine in overdose. Br J Clin Pharmacol 2011; 72:125–132.
  • Talaie H, Panahandeh R, Fayaznouri M, Asadi Z, Abdollahi M. Dose-independent occurrence of seizure with tramadol. J Med Toxicol 2009; 5:63–67.
  • Jovanovic-Cupic V, Martinovic Z, Nesic N. Seizures associated with intoxication and abuse of tramadol. Clin Toxicol (Phila) 2006; 44:143–146.
  • Thundiyil JG, Kearney TE, Olson KR. Evolving epidemiology of drug-induced seizures reported to a Poison Control Center System. J Med Toxicol 2007; 3:15–19.
  • Gasse C, Derby L, Vasilakis-Scaramozza C, Jick H. Incidence of first-time idiopathic seizures in users of tramadol. Pharmacotherapy. 2000; 20:629–634.
  • Barkin RL. Extended-Release Tramadol (ULTRAM®ER): A pharmacotherapeutic, pharmacokinetic, and pharmacodynamic focus on effectiveness and safety in patients with chronic/persistent pain. Am J Ther 2008; 15:157–166. Doi: 10.1097/MJT.0b013e31815b035b.
  • Adler L, McDonald C, O‘’Brien C, Wilson M. A comparison of once-daily tramadol with normal release tramadol in the treatment of pain in osteoarthritis. J Rheumatol 2002; 29:2196–2199.
  • Pergolizzi JV Jr, Taylor R Jr, Raffa RB. Extended-release formulations of tramadol in the treatment of chronic pain. Expert Opin Pharmacother 2011; 12:1757–1768.
  • Goeringer KE, Logan BK, Christian GD. Identification of tramadol and its metabolites in blood from drug-related deaths and drug-impaired drivers. J Anal Toxicol 1997; 21:529–537.
  • Isbister GK, Friberg LE, Stokes B, Buckley NA, Lee C, Gunja N, et al. Activated charcoal decreases the risk of QT prolongation after citalopram overdose. Ann Emerg Med 2007; 50:593–600, 600. e1–46.

Reprints and Corporate Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

To request a reprint or corporate permissions for this article, please click on the relevant link below:

Academic Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

Obtain permissions instantly via Rightslink by clicking on the button below:

If you are unable to obtain permissions via Rightslink, please complete and submit this Permissions form. For more information, please visit our Permissions help page.