Antipsychotics and Stroke Risk

Sample size: 6790 publication 10 minutes Evidence: high

Author Information

Author(s): Douglas Ian J, Smeeth Liam

Primary Institution: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

Does the use of typical and atypical antipsychotic drugs increase the incidence of stroke in patients with and without dementia?

All antipsychotics are associated with an increased risk of stroke, particularly in patients with dementia.

Use of any antipsychotic drug was associated with a rate ratio for stroke of 1.73.
Rate ratio for atypical antipsychotics was 2.32.
Patients with dementia had a rate ratio of 3.50 for stroke.

Taking antipsychotic medications can make you more likely to have a stroke, especially if you have dementia.

Self controlled case series using UK electronic primary care records.

Some patients may not have taken their prescribed antipsychotics during classified exposure periods.

Potential inaccuracies in estimating exposure periods and the quality of clinical data.

6790 patients, median age 80 at first exposure, 64% women, with 1423 having dementia.

1.73 (1.60 to 1.87)

95% confidence interval 1.60 to 1.87

p<0.05

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