Prescribed Drugs and Interpersonal Violence: A Case–Non-Case Study in the Spanish Pharmacovigilance Database
<b>Background/Objectives:</b> Interpersonal violence is an increasing public health concern, and its prediction and prevention remain global challenges. This study aimed to identify prescribed medications associated with interpersonal violence in Spain. <b>Methods</b>: A descriptive, longitudinal and retrospective study and case-non case study of spontaneous reports of adverse drug reactions corresponding to interpersonal violence recorded in the Spanish Pharmacovigilance Database (FEDRA<sup>®</sup>) from 1984 to 31 March 2021. <b>Results</b>: 533 cases were reported in the study period. The mean age was 46.70 years with ages ranging from 1 to 99 years. There were no sex differences except in child and adolescent age group where most reports were from male. Main therapeutic groups involved were nervous system (62.3%), anti-infectives for systemic use (10%) and respiratory system (8.6%). Mostly drugs reported were montelukast, levetiracetam, bupropion, donepezil, perampanel, quetiapine, fluoxetine, and lorazepam. A statistically significant association/disproportion in the notification has been found in the reporting of interpersonal violence and different drugs according to the literature, notably atomoxetine, perampanel, memantine, donepezil, montelukast and methylphenidate. <b>Conclusions</b>: The results highlight that interpersonal violence, while rare, could occur as a clinically relevant adverse reaction to a small subset of medications. They underscore the importance of careful prescribing, especially in vulnerable populations and in individuals with a history of psychiatric disorders.
Authors
- Ana Julia Fanlo Villacampa (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8064-8138)
- Jorge Vicente Romero (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4629-6743)
- Ana Avedillo-Salas (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2153-0417)
- Francisco Javier Lanuza-Giménez
Institutions
- Universidad de Zaragoza (ES)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Pharmaceuticals
- Published
- 2025-12-03
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3390/ph18121845
- Primary Topic
- Pharmacovigilance and Adverse Drug Reactions
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00