Antiepileptic Drugs Increase Risk for Suicide or Violent Death

These researchers performed a cohort study to directly evaluate the relationship between antiepileptic drug (AED) therapy and suicide, attempted suicide, or violent death. Using a large, integrated research database derived from health plans in 17 states, they evaluated risks for these outcomes in patients 15 years and older who first began taking any of 15 AEDs for any indication between 2001 and 2006. For 6 months preceding drug initiation, participants had continuous health plan enrollment, no other AED use, and no suicide attempts.

Topiramate was the reference drug in the primary analysis; a secondary analysis used carbamazepine as the reference drug for patients with diagnoses of epilepsy. Patients were followed for 6 months or until th…