| Popis: |
Evidence from controlled clinical trials supports the prescribing of clozapine for patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS). Early studies focused on severely ill TRS patients. More recent studies indicate that clozapine can be effective for patients who are relatively stable but are burdened by persistent psychotic symptoms. Clozapine treatment is associated with a substantial side effect burden, including sedation, orthostasis, weight gain, constipation, and seizures. In addition, because of a risk of potentially fatal agranulocytosis, clozapine patients require regular monitoring of their neutrophil count. Measuring clozapine plasma concentrations can be helpful in managing patients with severe side effects and those with an inadequate clinical response. A trial of clozapine should consist of a minimum duration of 12 weeks. |
