Clozapine: Benefits, Reducing Side Effect Risks, and Alternatives

This is a recorded lecture. It was given at the monthly Psychosis Education Event in January, 2023. The monthly Psychosis Education Event consists of a free lecture on some mental health related topic, followed by an open-forum question/answer session with a psychiatrist and clinical psychologist. It is free of charge and open to the public. If you would like to join, send me a note via https://askapsychiatrist.info

Clozapine is the most effective medication for schizophrenia. It is the only medication with FDA approval for reducing suicide risk. About 30% of people with schizophrenia do not get significant benefit from standard antipsychotic medication -- yet in that subset of individuals, clozapine is successful in about 50% of cases (the success rate of other antipsychotic medications is about 7% to 14%).

This lecture discusses:
1. Why do some people with schizophrenia-like symptoms not respond to standard, first-line antipsychotic medications?
2. What are the unique advantages of clozapine?
3. What are the most common or worrisome clozapine side effects, and how can their risks be minimized?
4. Are there any alternatives to clozapine?