People with epilepsy taking antiepileptic drugs are at greater risk of experiencing a major cardiovascular event than the general population, a study suggests.

However, researchers found no increased risk for patients prescribed the older enzyme-inducing antiepileptic drugs (EIAEDs), which are associated with higher cholesterol, compared with those taking non-enzyme-inducing drugs.

The researchers analysed data on 10,241 adults living in the UK (mean age 50), who were prescribed treatment for epilepsy between 2003 and 2017, and 35,000 matched controls.

Those with epilepsy had a 60% increased risk of a cardiovascular event — including cardiac arrest, MI, thromboembolism or death — compared with controls, during a mean seven years of follow-up.