Use of Clozapine in the General Hospital.

Abstract

Patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia receiving clozapine therapy are at risk of potentially serious complications in the general hospital setting, due to the complex pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profile of clozapine. We summarize common clinical challenges that face clinicians who care for clozapine patients in the general hospital, and make recommendations based on the available literature and clinical experience. Early collaborative management between consultation-liaison psychiatry and other clinical teams in the general hospital is paramount to improve clinical outcomes and avoid serious complications in this patient group.