The increased stroke risk in demented patients, assessed within 30 days after exposure, was also observed with olanzapine. However, the sample of olanzapine users was small and underpowered. Quetiapine was associated with a 2.7-fold increased risk of ischemic stroke. Seroquel was a Godsend to our situation!! I could not care for my husband without it. It was prescribed by an internationally respected dementia researcher at Mayo Clinic, in consultation with a sleep psychiatrist. To say that any doctor who uses this with dementia patients should be reported is absurd. It should be used carefully, by someone who knows what they are doing, and it should be monitored carefully. My husband took it for about 9 years. A much greater risk of ischemic stroke was observed in patients who used chlorpromazine and haloperidol compared to risperidone. The evidence suggested that there is a strong need to exercise caution while prescribing these agents to the elderly in light of severe adverse events with atypical antipsychotics. Antipsychotics are often prescribed for aging patients to keep them sedated while awake or less able to participate in life or potentially cause trouble. This is a dangerous practice, as the already serious side effects of antipsychotics tend to be even more pronounced or potentially fatal for the elderly. People die on a regular basis due to the improper or off-label prescribing of antipsychotics for patients in rest homes and other eldercare situations. He was agitated at the hospital, and against my family's wishes they gave him Haldol and Seroquel, two anti-psychotics. He then had an 'episode' where he was unresponsive, his heart rate was 40 bpm and he was having trouble swallowing. The docs said this was because of the drugs. Stroke risk. How strong is the evidence for stroke risk among older patients who take antipsychotics? Wooltorton 7 first raised concern about increased risk of stroke with risperidone in 2002 in a summary of four clinical trials. Study Examines SEROQUEL for the Treatment of Agitation in Elderly Patients with Dementia — Study Results Suggest SEROQUEL May Reduce Symptoms of Agitation Associated With Dementia in Long-Term. Compared to patients treated with the newer second-generation antipsychotic drug Risperdal (risperidone), patients who took the older. Death Risk Lowest in Seroquel Users. The Harvard Study. However, prior to initiating treatment with an antidepressant, including Seroquel, patients with depressive symptoms should be adequately screened to determine if they are at risk for bipolar disorder; such screening should include a detailed psychiatric history, including a family history of suicide, bipolar disorder, and depression. Cerebrovascular Adverse Reactions, Including Stroke, in. Stroke is found among people who take Seroquel, especially for people who are female, 60+ old , have been taking the drug for 2 - 5 years, also take medication Zyprexa, and have Depression. This study is created by eHealthMe based on reports of 97,778 people who have side effects when taking Seroquel from FDA, and is updated regularly.