Antipsychotics are frequently prescribed for dementia patients despite regulatory warnings which were based on prior studies showing increased risk of stroke and death.

Pearl Mok and colleagues published their population-based cohort study comparing use vs non-use with risks for stroke, VTE, heart failure, myocardial infarction, pneumonia, fracture and acute kidney injury in the BMJ recently. Antipsychotic use was associated with increased risks of all of these adverse events which should be borne in mind when considering use of antipsychotics in dementia patients.

The full article can be accessed on the BMJ website.