Repeated Suicide Attempts in a Patient Suffering From Addiction to Tramadol: a Case Report

In France, over the last years the use weak opioid analgesics decreased́, whereas that of strong opioid analgesics (OFMA). Hospitalizations for opioid overdose increased́ by 128% from 2000 to 2015, and deaths related to prescribed opioid overdose increased significantly, by 161%, from 2000 to 2014.In addition, recent studies suggest a link between opioid system dysfunction and suicidal behavior.

In parallel, studies are emerging showing the potential interest of using Tramadol as an antidepressant. Indeed, this opiate analgesic also acts on the serotonergic and dopaminergic systems, and would have an antidepressant effect.Thus, the investigators can legitimately wonder whether the use of Tramadol as an antidepressant might not pose a problem in patients at risk of suicide.

This study aims to describe a clinical case of a patient hospitalized in the Department of Psychiatric Emergency and Post-Emergency (Montpellier University Hospital) who developed a severe addiction to Tramadol (consumption up to 5 times the maximum recommended dose per day) and evaluate whether this may have increased her suicidal risk, in order to warn prescribers about the suicidal risk of Tramadol.