THURSDAY August 28, 2008 (foodconsumer.org) -- Antipsychotic drugs may increase risk of stroke, according to a study in the British Medical Journal.

The study showed people taking antipsychotic drugs were almost twice as likely to have a stroke as those who did not receive the medication.

The risk was even higher among men and women with dementia, almost 3.5 times higher than those who did not use antipsychotics.

Early studies have already linked antipsychotics, both conventional and atypical antipsychotic drugs, to increased risk of death among the elderly with dementia.

"The risks associated with antipsychotic use in patients with dementia generally outweigh the potential benefits, and in this patient group, use of antipsychotic drugs should be avoided whenever possible," Reuters quoted Ian Douglas and colleagues at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine as writing.

For the study, the researchers went through the medical records of nearly 7,000 men and women and linked incidence of stroke to taking antipsychotic drugs.

People taking antipsychotic drugs were 1.7 times more likely to have a stroke than those who did not take antipsychotics. And the risk was much higher among people with dementia.

The increased risk of stroke was linked to both old and new types of antipsychotic drugs.

The researchers do not know who antipsychotic drugs are associated with increased risk of stroke.