Opioids increase the risk of cardiovascular events in elderly patients with noncancer pain.
January 1
Data are too preliminary to conclude that opioids CAUSE cardiovascular events.
The concern is driven by recent studies showing an ASSOCIATION between cardiovascular events and certain opioids...hydrocodone, oxycodone, propoxyphene, tramadol...with codeine being the highest risk.
But caution patients and prescribers not to make too much of this. The cardiovascular findings from these studies are highly questionable. For example, they didn’t track the use of important OTC meds that are proven to impact cardiovascular outcomes...NSAIDs and aspirin.
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