Understanding and Preventing Cardiovascular diseases in people taking AntiPsychotic medications: a data-driven mixed methods study (PreCAP)

About the Project

This PhD will develop evidence-based recommendations to improve prediction and prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in people prescribed antipsychotics. The project will address inequalities and inform targeted, clinically actionable CVD risk management.

About this opportunity

People prescribed antipsychotics have a 2–4-fold higher risk of cardiac mortality and sudden cardiac death compared with those without antipsychotic exposure. Although antipsychotic prescribing has increased substantially in the UK, cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk assessment and prevention remain poorly implemented. Physical health checks occur in fewer than half of people with schizophrenia. Current CVD risk tools, including QRISK3, do not account for differences between individual antipsychotics or their pharmacological profiles. As a result, services lack robust evidence to guide targeted CVD prevention for people taking these medications.

The overall aim of this PhD is to generate evidence and recommendations to improve prediction and prevention of CVD in people prescribed antipsychotics, with a focus on reducing inequalities and morbidity.

The project uses a mixed methods design, likely to conduct a systematic review, analysis of large-scale UK routinely collected health care data and stakeholder engagement. The student will receive training, supported through formal doctoral courses in epidemiology and medical statistics, as well as hands-on supervision. The project offers collaboration with clinical academics, epidemiologists, statisticians and patient and public contributors, and links with NHS partners and integrated care systems. The first year will focus on advanced methods training, protocol development, ethics approvals and the systematic review. The second and third years will centre on data analysis, preliminary dissemination, and the start of thesis writing. Throughout the PhD, the student will be encouraged to publish in peer-reviewed journals and present findings at national and international conferences.

This project will equip the candidate with strong data-driven mixed methods research skills, experience in large-scale routine data analysis, and expertise in CVD prevention in people prescribed antipsychotics.