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Clozapine is an antipsychotic medication. It works by changing the actions of chemicals in the brain. Clozapine is used to treat the symptoms of schizophrenia (a mental illness that causes disturbed or unusual thinking, loss of interest in life, and strong or inappropriate emotions) in patients who have not been helped by other medications or who have tried to kill themselves and are likely to try to kill or harm themselves again. Clozapine is in a class of medications called atypical antipsychotics. It works by changing the activity of certain natural substances in the brain. In the treatment of this disease.clozapine can cause a serious blood condition. Your doctor will order certain lab tests before you start your treatment, during your treatment, and for at least 4 weeks after your treatment. Your doctor will order the lab tests once a week at first and may order the tests less often as your treatment continues. Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction to clozapine: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Serious and sometimes fatal infections may occur during treatment with clozapine. Call your doctor right away if you have signs of infection such as: *sudden weakness or ill feeling *fever, chills, sore throat; or mouth sores, red or swollen gums, and trouble swallowing. Stop using clozapine and call your doctor at once if you have: *skin rash, easy bruising or bleeding, severe tingling, numbness, pain, muscle weakness *headache with chest pain and severe dizziness, fainting, fast or pounding heartbeats *sudden cough, wheezing, rapid breathing, coughing up blood *seizure (black-out or convulsions) *a light-headed feeling, like you might pass out *feeling short of breath (even while lying down or with mild exertion), swelling in your hands or feet *very stiff (rigid) muscles, high fever, sweating, confusion, fast or uneven heartbeats, tremors *tight feeling in your neck or jaw, twitching or uncontrollable movements of your eyes, lips, tongue, face, arms, or legs *little or no urinating *high blood sugar (increased thirst, increased urination, hunger, fruity breath odor, dry skin, weight loss) *nausea, upper stomach pain, itching, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes),or slow heart rate, weak pulse, slow breathing (breathing may stop). Common clozapine side effects may include: *weight gain *constipation *dry mouth, blurred vision *drooling, especially at night,or drowsiness, dizziness, spinning sensation.
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