Figure 1.
Illustrative directed acyclic graph showing mediation of the effect of antipsychotic drug type (first-generation vs. second-generation) on death from stroke over 180 days of follow-up. C1, mortality risk factors associated with antipsychotic drug type initiation (assessed before start of follow-up); C2PRE: dual risk factors for death and stroke (assessed before start of follow-up); C2POST, dual risk factors for death and stroke (assessed after start of follow-up); C3, stroke risk factors associated with antipsychotic drug type initiation (assessed before start of follow-up). The dotted arrow represents the direct effect; the dashed arrow represents the indirect effect; and the solid arrows represent sources of noncausal association from confounding by C1, C2, and C3.