Multiple adverse outcomes associated with antipsychotic use in people with dementia: population based matched cohort study (17 April 2024)

Summary

A study published in the BMJ has investigated the risks of multiple adverse outcomes associated with use of antipsychotics in people with dementia. The authors of the study found that antipsychotic use compared with non-use in adults with dementia was associated with increased risks of stroke, venous thromboembolism, myocardial infarction, heart failure, fracture, pneumonia, and acute kidney injury, but not ventricular arrhythmia. The range of adverse outcomes was wider than previously highlighted in regulatory alerts, with the highest risks soon after initiation of treatment.