klozapine

Obsessive-compulsive symptoms induced by clozapine negatively affect treatment compliance. In some studies, clonazepam was shown to be beneficial in obsessive-compulsive disorder. However, in literature there are case reports of life-threatening complications associated with the combined use of clozapine and benzodiazepines. In this article, the efficacy and safety of the clonazepam augmentation were discussed in two patients who had obsessive-compulsive symptoms induced by clozapine. No life-threatening complications were detected during the follow-up period of more than two years, and the patients benefited dramatically from the addition of clonazepam...

Even though effectiveness of clozapine on treatment resistant schizophrenia has been repeatedly demonstrated, it is also associated with many adverse effects including weight gain. Curiously, significant weight loss may occur in some patients. In this case report we discussed whether the observed weight loss could be a negative prognostic factor. The 56 year-old male patient, followed up with the diagnosis of schizophrenia for 20 years, had persistent positive and negative symptoms despite concurrent use of different antiypsychotics...

OBJECTIVE: Common side effects of clozapine may affect the treatment process negatively. In this study, we aimed to assess the common side effects and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in schizophrenia patients treated with clozapine, and to study their relationship with clinical variables and disability. METHOD: One hundred and twenty two patients who met DSM-IV criteria for schizophrenia, and were on clozapine treatment were included in the study. Clinical status was evaluated through a clinical interview and review of the medical records, and physical measures and laboratory tests were recorded...

OBJECTIVE: Clozapine is considered to be a gold standard antipsychotic in treatment resistant schizophrenia. This study aims to investigate clozapine augmentation METHODS utilized in schizophrenia and compare the sociodemographic characteristics, clinical features and remission states of patients whose treatments are augmented and not. METHOD: This study included 122 outpatients diagnosed with DSMIV schizophrenia. Patients were assessed with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders, Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, Clinical Global Impression Scale, Global Assessment of Functioning, Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia, Panic Agoraphobia Scale, Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale and the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule II...

BACKGROUND: Remission in schizophrenia is difficult to achieve. Antipsychotic drugs are critical in the treatment of schizophrenia. International guidelines for the pharmacological treatment of schizophrenia recommend a 3-step algorithm with clozapine being the third-line antipsychotic agent. This study investigated the 1-year outcome and the application of the guidelines for the pharmacological treatment of nonremitted first-episode schizophrenia (FES) patients during the first year of follow-up...

AIMS: Alcoholism and psychosis are known to have common neurochemical substrates. The aim of this review is to assess the reports involved in the effects of some atypical antipsychotic agents on the signs of ethanol withdrawal syndrome (EWS) in rats. Thus, both effectiveness of these drugs in ethanol withdrawal and the association between the drug effects and the signs have been investigated here on the same animal model. METHODS: Adult Wistar rats were used as subjects...

BACKGROUND: A variety of neuropsychiatric symptoms commonly occur in Parkinson's disease. Extensive research the last 10 years has provided new knowledge in the field. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This review is based on literature retrieved from a Medline search and own research and clinical experience. RESULTS AND INTERPRETATION: Neuropsychiatric symptoms occur in the majority of patients with Parkinson's disease, and are associated with impaired quality of life for patients and relatives, additional deterioration of function and increased use of health resources...

Subjective health-related quality of life was evaluated in 100 patients from day-hospital, treated for schizophrenia with classical (perazine, perphenazine, zuclopenthixol) or "old" atypical (klozapine, sulpiride) neuroleptics. No correlation was found between the clinical improvement (PANSS scale) and the quality of life (SF-36). After the treatment the improvement of the quality of life was significantly better in female than in male patients. In women more correlations were found between clinical improvement after treatment and the of quality of life domains...