Oxycodone: A Pain-Relieving Agent With Cardioprotective Properties Against Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury

In the realm of cardiovascular diseases, myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI) is known as one of the main life-threatening conditions with significant morbidity and mortality. Although some therapeutic approaches, like pharmacological treatments and ischemic preconditioning, have been suggested for MIRI, offering a functional approach with high effectiveness for MIRI remains challenging. Recent studies have indicated that oxycodone, a semisynthetic opioid used to improve acute to chronic pain, may be cardioprotective against MIRI. The current experimental evidence showed that these protective influences can stem from the ability of oxycodone to regulate apoptosis, inflammation, and oxidative stress, as well as promote cardiovascular parameters (e.g., infarct size, cardiac function, and endothelial integrity). Hence, the main purpose of this narrative review study is to summarize and discuss the anti-MIRI potential of oxycodone with a mechanistic insight. This narrative review was also conducted to hold promise for researchers and clinicians to consider and assess its clinical capacity for subjects suffering from this challenging disease.