PMID: 9541338Apr 16, 1998Paper

Optimizing treatment with clozapine

The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry
R R Conley

Abstract

Clozapine is the only antipsychotic agent that is effective in treatment-resistant schizophrenia. Despite its superior efficacy to chlorpromazine and the fact that it has fewer extrapyramidal side effects than conventional antipsychotics do, clozapine is relatively underused. This may be due in part to a lack of appreciation of clozapine's favorable risk-benefit ratio in many patients. In addition, clozapine is only indicated for use in patients who fail to respond adequately to standard antipsychotic treatment. Treatment with clozapine considerably improves psychiatric well-being and reduces readmission to the hospital and reduces family burden in many severely ill patients. However, clozapine is associated with severe side effects, including weight gain, tachycardia, sedation, seizures, and agranulocytosis. These risks must be weighed against the risks associated with schizophrenia (e.g., suicide). The death rate attributed to clozapine-induced agranulocytosis has been low, a fact that is largely attributable to safety measures such as the Clozaril National Registry. Determining the optimal dosage for each patient will maximize the benefits of treatment while reducing side effects. In some patients, monitoring plasma levels o...Continue Reading

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Antipsychotic Drugs

Antipsychotic drugs are a class of medication primarily used to manage psychosis (including delusions, hallucinations, paranoia or disordered thought), principally in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Discover the latest research on antipsychotic drugs here

Related Papers

The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry
D D Miller
Annals of Clinical Psychiatry : Official Journal of the American Academy of Clinical Psychiatrists
Mohammad Masud IqbalJacqueline M Feldman
The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry
J A Lieberman
Schizophrenia Bulletin
R W Buchanan
Nederlands tijdschrift voor geneeskunde
A W de RaadC Hagestein-de Bruijn
© 2022 Meta ULC. All rights reserved