How Effective Is Clozapine for Schizophrenia?

Using clozapine for schizophrenia generally is considered effective for treatment-resistant symptoms. Usually, this drug is only considered an acceptable treatment for symptoms of schizophrenia if all other treatments have proven unsuccessful and symptoms are severe. Among the symptoms for which it can prove effective are hallucinations, suicidal thoughts and behaviors, and delusions. This drug is usually used cautiously and as a last resort because patients who take it are at risk of experiencing both mild and severe side effects, including unusual feelings of sleepiness, insulin resistance, seizures, and dangerous heart conditions.

This medication can help reduce the severity of a person's schizophrenic symptoms when other treatments have failed, and in some cases, if a patient is deemed suicidal. Clozapine is an antipsychotic drug, and many medical experts believe it is effective because it has the ability to change the way brain chemicals called neurotransmitters function. When it works as expected, it is effective against such severe symptoms of schizophrenia as hallucinations, delusions, and suicidal tendencies. In some patients, using clozapine for schizophrenia may also help treat social withdraw, which is one of the prominent symptoms of this condition.

The potential for a patient to experience severe side effects is the reason doctors reserve the use of clozapine for those who do not respond well to other medications. Possible side effects of this drug include fevers, seizures, and a heart condition called myocarditis. Using clozapine for schizophrenia can also interfere with the adequate production of white blood cells. Those who take this drug may also develop insulin resistance or diabetes. Other less-serious side effects include the overproduction of saliva and feelings of fatigue.

The presentation of severe side effects of clozapine also can increase when combined with certain drugs. For example, taking clozapine together with a schizophrenia drug called risperidone may cause a higher concentration of clozapine to remain in the bloodstream. The higher blood levels of the drug can cause an individual to experience more severe side effects.

Doctors usually administer clozapine for schizophrenia in tablet form, and patients typically take it up to three times daily. This drug is not usually prescribed for use by children, elderly adults, or women who are breastfeeding. People who have liver or heart problems are often advised to avoid it as well. An individual with schizophrenia may do well to speak with his doctor to learn whether clozapine is a good choice for his condition and worth the risk of experiencing side effects.