Year: 2010 Source: JAMA, v.303, no.14, (April 14, 2010), p.1401-1409 SIEC No: 20100930

This study evaluated the risk of suicidal acts & combined suicidal acts or violent death associated with individual anticonvulsants. A cohort study was done with patients beginning use of anticonvulsant medications compared with patients initiating a reference anticonvulsant drug. The study identified 26 suicides, 801 attempts, & 41 violents deaths in 297,620 new episodes of treatment with an anticonvulsant (overall median follow-up, 60 days). Results suggest the use of gabapentin, lamotrigine, oxcarbazepine, & tiagabine, compared with the use of topiramate, may be associated with an increased risk of suicidal acts or violent deaths. (45 refs.) JA