Abstract
We assessed whether antipsychotic drugs represent a risk factor for venous thromboembolism. We identified 266 patients (women n = 141) diagnosed as having venous thromboembolism at the average age of 43.1+-11 years who had been hospitalized in the University Hospital in Hradec Králové from 1.1.1996 to 31.12.2004.
Two hundred and seventy-four patients (women n = 140) with arterial hypertension at the average age of 48.3+-8.8 years represented the control population. Use of antipsychotic drugs was moderately more frequent in the group of patients with venous thromboembolism as compared with the control group subjects (4.89% vs 1.82%; odds ratio 2.76; 95% confidence interval = 1.01-7.55).
We discuss the possible mechanisms of venous thromboembolism induced by antipsychotic agents.