Who Is at Higher Risk of Stroke with Antipsychotic Drugs?

Antipsychotic drugs have been shown to increase the risk for stroke, especially in older patients, but factors that mediate the risk are not entirely clear. This case-crossover study used 10 years of information from a database on almost the entire population of Taiwan. The researchers examined stroke risk in 14,584 individuals who had a stroke and an antipsychotic prescription in the year before the stroke (mean age at stroke, 68). Subjects served as their own controls, with the period just before the stroke being compared with other periods.

Taking an antipsychotic in the 2 weeks before the stroke increased the likelihood of stroke 1.6 times. However, having taken an antipsychotic for more than a month during the previous year did not incr…