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Relationship Between Antipsychotic Medications and Cerebrovascular Disease in Patients With Serious Mental Illness
Nuria Berrocal-Izquierdo1, Miquel Bioque, Miguel Bernardo
1BERROCAL-IZQUIERDO: Department of Neurology, Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Dèu, Sant Boi de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain BERNARDO: Barcelona Clinic Schizophrenia Unit, Neuroscience Institute, Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, Center for Biomedical Research in Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Barcelona, Spain; Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Biomedical Research Institute August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain BIOQUE: Barcelona Clinic Schizophrenia Unit, Neuroscience Institute, Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, Center for Biomedical Research in Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Barcelona, Spain.
Insights
Cerebrovascular disease (CVD) occurred with equal frequency in patients with and without serious mental illness (SMI). Antipsychotic medication use did not alter CVD risk in this study population.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Psychiatry
- Cardiology
Background:
- Cerebrovascular disease (CVD), including asymptomatic forms, is common in patients with serious mental illness (SMI).
- Existing literature on CVD in SMI patients is limited and shows conflicting results.
- Antipsychotic medications significantly impact cardiovascular health in patients with SMI.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the frequency of CVD in patients with and without SMI.
- To determine the association between antipsychotic medication use and CVD risk in SMI patients.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective cohort study design.
- Comparison of CVD frequency between patients with SMI on antipsychotics and a control group without mental illness or antipsychotic history.
- Groups were matched for age and sex, with a mean age of 63.
Main Results:
- CVD frequency was similar in both SMI and non-SMI groups.
- Antipsychotic medication use did not significantly modify CVD frequency.
- A trend suggested a possible association between prolonged antipsychotic polypharmacy and CVD.
Conclusions:
- Antipsychotic use and SMI were not associated with increased CVD risk in this study.
- Findings contrast with some previous reports, suggesting a need for further research.
Introduction And Objectives:
Cerebrovascular disease (CVD), especially in its asymptomatic forms, is relatively common in patients with serious mental illness (SMI). Nevertheless, the literature on this topic is scarce and sometimes contradictory. Antipsychotic medications, especially atypical agents, play an important role in the overall cardiovascular health of these patients. The goal of this study was to analyze the frequency of CVD in patients with and without SMI.
Patients And Methods:
This retrospective cohort study compared the frequency of CVD, including silent forms, in a group of patients without mental illness and without a history of taking antipsychotic medication, with another group of patients diagnosed with SMI who had received antipsychotic treatment. The 2 groups were matched for age and sex, and the mean age of the subjects in the 2 groups was 63 years.
Results:
The frequency of CVD was the same in both groups and it was not modified by the use of antipsychotic medications. A nonsignificant trend toward an association between CVD and prolonged use of antipsychotic polypharmacy was found.
Conclusions:
In this study, in contrast to previous reports, use of antipsychotic medications and the presence of SMI were not associated with an increased risk of CVD.
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