A case report: Convulsive seizures caused by the combination of tramadol and antipsychotic drugs

Abstract

In recent years, the need for pain control for patients has been emphasized also in Japan and opioid preparations have been introduced. Given that the opioid drug ‘tramadol’ is currently prescribed for chronic non-cancer pain and is not designated as a narcotic drug in Japan, its utilization in the clinical field has markedly increased. As a result, such a drug was extended to patients with mental illnesses. However, considering that tramadol is known to cause serious side effects, including convulsive seizures, psychiatrists should be cautious. In the current report, a case of convulsive seizures caused by the combination of an antipsychotic drug and tramadol is presented. Given that antipsychotic drugs are established to evoke convulsions, attention should be given to their combination with tramadol. In addition, antidepressants and lithium preparations are commonly used in the psychiatric field and have also been associated with convulsions. Therefore, psychiatrists should also be cautious when combining such drugs with tramadol.