Clozapine Flashcards
Clozapine class of antipsychotic
Atypical
Clozapine chemical structure
Tricyclic dibenzodiazepine
Dopamine receptor which clozapine has high affinity for
D4
Mechanism of action of clozapine
5HT2 > D2 blockade D4 blockade 5HT6 blockade Alpha 1 antagonist Muscarinic receptor antagonist
Site of dopamine receptor where clozapine is most active
Limbic dopamine receptors
Proposed reason why clozapine has lower rates of EPSEs
More active at limbic than striatal dopamine receptors
Effect of dopamine on prolactin levels
Little to no effect
CYP enzyme which mainly metabolises clozapine
CYP1A2
Effect of caffeine on clozapine levels
Increases
Effect of cigarette smoking on clozapine levels
Decreases
Decrease in clozapine levels following 5 days off caffeine
Decreased by up to 50%
Effect of SSRIs on clozapine levels
Increases
Effect of erythromycin on clozapine levels
Increases
Effect of carbamazepine on clozapine levels
Decreases
Effect of phenytoin on clozapine levels
Decreases
Active metabolites of clozapine
N-desmethylclozapine
Clozapine N-oxide
Percentage of patients on clozapine who develop hypersalivation
31%
Point in clozapine therapy when hypersalivation is worst
Early on
Percentage of patients on clozapine who develop agranulocytosis
1%
Time after starting clozapine with the highest risk of developing agranulocytosis
4 to 18 weeks
Adverse effects of clozapine
Agranulocytosis Myocarditis Seizures Orthostatic hypotension Colitis Pancreatitis Thrombocytopaenia Thromboembolism Insulin resistance and diabetes mellitus
Lower level of clozapine usually required for a therapeutic response
0.35mg/l
Level of clozapine at which there is an increased seizure risk
0.5mg/l
Time frame from starting clozapine by which time 80% of cases of myocarditis occur
Within 4 weeks of starting