Anti-epileptic Drugs Use and Increased Risk of Stroke: A Systematic Review

Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), the predominant treatment for epilepsy, are also utilised for migraine, neuropathic pain, and bipolar disorders, accounting for 1% of usage among the common population. There is a greater risk of stroke, heart attack, and arrhythmia among AED users particularly those with enzyme-inducing properties.

This systematic review aimed to look into the ischemic stroke risk among AED users, particularly in patients who had never had a cerebrovascular accident before. English-language literature was searched in the databases of PubMed, EMBASE, and Google Scholar between 2000 and 2021. Studies should report the association between AEDs and the ischemic stroke risk. The outcomes for assessing efficacy and safety were: event ratio, hazard ratio, odds ratio, and risk ratio. Seven of the eight studies showed an increased risk of ischemic stroke associated with AEDs among individuals without a history of cardiovascular accidents Phenytoin, sodium valproate, oxcarbamazepine, levetiracetam, phenobarbital, and carbamazepine were all linked to an increased risk of stroke. Adequate data on the association between the duration of AED exposure and stroke was missing.

Not all AEDs are enzyme inducers. We conclude significant stroke risk with AEDs (mainly enzyme inducers), and dose dependency need to be assessed. The risks and benefits of AEDs should be weighed among the patients, especially with vascular risk factors to limit the risk of ischemic stroke.