Risk of Hypoglycemia and Concomitant Use of Repaglinide and Clopidogrel: A Population-Based Nested Case-Control Study

This nested case-control study evaluated the potential interaction between repaglinide and clopidogrel. Cases were defined by inpatient admissions or emergency department visits due to hypoglycemia. Concomitant use of repaglinide and clopidogrel within 3 days before the hypoglycemic event was the exposure of interest. For each case, up to four controls were randomly selected and matched by age, sex, type of glinide used (repaglinide or nateglinide), and time since cohort entry to the index date. Hypoglycemic risk was estimated by conditional logistic regressions. Concomitant use of repaglinide and clopidogrel was associated with an increased risk of hypoglycemia compared with repaglinide alone (adjusted odds ratio: 2.42; 95% confidence interval: 1.75-3.35). No significant associations were found with the two negative control object drug concomitants: nateglinide and clopidogrel and repaglinide and aspirin (without clopidogrel use). Our study suggests drug interaction between clopidogrel and repaglinide is clinically relevant and could increase the risk for hypoglycemia.