Risk of syncope in the elderly and consumption of drugs: a case-control study.

Abstract

A multicenter case-control study (588 cases and 1807 controls) was performed to assess the risk of syncope in the elderly according to drug consumption within the three days before syncope, controlling the underlying cardiovascular diseases. Pair-matched and non-pair-matched analyses using logistic regression were performed, providing consistent results. After adjustment for age, sex, and cardiovascular disease, cases were shown to consume more often than non-cases drugs in classes of non-tricyclic antidepressants, neuroleptic drugs, and antiparkinsonians. A detailed analysis has shown that only four drugs were significantly associated with an excess risk of syncope: fluoxetine (OR = 2.6; 95% CI: [1.8-3.5]), aceprometazine (OR = 2.0; [1.5-2.5]), haloperidol (OR = 2.8; [2.0-3.6]), and L-dopa (OR = 2.8; [2.2-3.7]). This analysis shows that these drugs should be prescribed with special caution in the elderly.

• Authors: P Cherin, A Colvez, G Deville de Periere, D Sereni
• Journal: Journal of clinical epidemiology (J Clin Epidemiol) Vol. 50 Issue 3 Pg. 313-20 (Mar 1997) ISSN: 0895-4356 [Print] United States
• PMID: 9120531 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Multicenter Study, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation
• Antiparkinson Agents
• Antipsychotic Agents
• Fluoxetine
• Levodopa
• Acepromazine
• aceprometazine
• Haloperidol

Topics

• Acepromazine (adverse effects, analogs & derivatives)
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation (adverse effects)
• Antiparkinson Agents (adverse effects)
• Antipsychotic Agents (adverse effects)
• Case-Control Studies
• Drug Utilization
• Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions
• Female
• Fluoxetine (adverse effects)
• Haloperidol (adverse effects)
• Humans
• Levodopa (adverse effects)
• Male
• Matched-Pair Analysis
• Pharmacoepidemiology
• Risk
• Syncope (chemically induced)