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CCU016: Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases related to antipsychotic prescribing in patients with dementia during the COVID-19 pandemic
Safe People
Organisation name
University of Edinburgh
Organisation sector
Academic Institute
Applicant name(s)
Tim Wilkinson
Sub-licence arrangements (if any)?
No
Safe Projects
Project ID
CCU016
Lay summary
People living with dementia have been amongst the hardest hit during the COVID-19 pandemic. A group of drugs called ‘antipsychotics’ are sometimes used to treat distress and agitation in people living with dementia. However, there is evidence to suggest that these medicines may increase the risk of stroke and heart attacks when given to people with dementia. They should therefore only be used as a last resort, when other treatments have failed. Since March 2020, the prescribing of these drugs for people with dementia has increased. We think this may be because social distancing restrictions have caused more people to need treatment for distress or agitation as they do not have access to their normal support structures. This increase in antipsychotic prescribing during the COVID-19 pandemic is concerning, as it may have led to an increase in heart attacks and strokes in these patients. We will investigate whether this increase in antipsychotic prescribing has led to an increase in strokes or heart attacks. To do this, we will use information that is collected routinely by health services, such as GP records, prescriptions and diagnoses recorded in hospital. We hope that the results of this study will help inform decision making between doctors, patients and carers, by enabling them to weigh up the risks and benefits of prescribing an antipsychotic.
Public benefit statement
We will investigate whether this increase in antipsychotic prescribing has led to an increase in strokes or heart attacks. To do this, we will use information that is collected routinely by health services, such as GP records, prescriptions and diagnoses recorded in hospital. We hope that the results of this study will help inform decision making between doctors, patients and carers, by enabling them to weigh up the risks and benefits of prescribing an antipsychotic. Visit the BHF Data Science Centre website for more detailed information about project outputs. https://bhfdatasciencecentre.org/projects/ccu016/
Technical summary
This project accessed the following datasets within the Trusted Research Environment(s) for CVD-COVID-UK / COVID-IMPACT: - WALES: - Annual District Death Daily (ADDD) - Annual District Death Extract (ADDE) - Care Home Dataset (CARE) - COVID-19 Consolidated Deaths (CDDS) - COVID-19 Test Results (PATD) - Patient Episode Dataset for Wales (PEDW) - SAIL Dementia e-Cohort (SDEC) - Welsh Demographic Service Dataset (WDSD) - Welsh Dispensing Dataset (WDDS) - Legacy - Welsh Longitudinal General Practice Dataset (WLGP) - Welsh Primary Care
Latest approval date
29/04/2021
Safe Data
Dataset(s) name
Data sensitivity level
De-Personalised
Safe Setting
Access type
TRE