What is Clozapine?
Synthetic drug Clozapine represents the class of neuroleptic medications, and designed for certain mental and sleep disorders. Clozapine is used for the treatment of adult patients as well as for the treatment of children. Clozapine is available in the form of tablets of 100 and 250mg, granules (for children, 500mg) and a 2.5% solution for injection in 2ml ampoules.
The main active ingredient produces a sedative and antipsychotic effect. By its pharmacological properties the drug belongs to the category of atypical antipsychotics, since it practically does not cause movement disorders. Clozapine acts quickly enough: within the first seven days of the course psychomotor agitation stopped, while aggression and anxiety go away. On the second and third week of treatment antipsychotic drug action is clearly manifested. The reviews of clozapine report that the drug also normalizes sleep and has a mild muscle-relaxing effect. Clozapine is also used for elimination of sleep disorders in children. During a long course of treatment with clozapine (1+ month) the symptoms of negativism go away. The reviews of clozapine patients taking the drug for a long time report that it does not cause disorders of higher intellectual functions.
The instructions to clozapine reports that the drug can be used to treat the following mental disorders: schizophrenia in acute and chronic forms; manic-depressive illness; manic states; behavioral and emotional disorders; sleep disturbances; psychomotor agitation in psychopathy.
The instructions to clozapine reports that in most cases patients should take 200-400 mg per day. The exact dosage prescribed by your doctor, taking into account the nature of the disease and the patient's individual characteristics. The treatment should begin with small doses – 25-50 mg per day with a gradual increase in the daily dose for one to two weeks. The drug is better be taken before bedtime (though the daily dosage may be divided and a few parts). The treatment course is abandoned gradually, reducing the dosage within two weeks.
According to the instructions clozapine is contraindicated in individual intolerance of the main components of the drug; in the presence of granulocytopenia or agranulocytosis in history; toxic psychosis (alcoholic in particular) and suppression of bone marrow hematopoiesis.
Clozapine pharmacological action
Currently available are many analogues of clozapine, used to treat various mental disorders. The most popular are: Azaleprol, Klozasten and Azaleptin. All the analogues of clozapine have similar indications to the application, but may contain different active substances.
Indications for use
Clozapine administration
After finishing the course of treatment with a supporting course during which adopted by 25-200 mg of the drug is prescribed. Adjustment of the dose is performed for patients with liver, renal and cardiac insufficiency, and also in patients with cerebrovascular disorders. For the normalization of sleep taking the drug in smaller doses of 25-50 mg per day is recommended. The maximum allowable daily dose equals 600 mg. The attending physician may prescribe intramuscular injection of the drug. Children should take Clozapine in solution for oral administration for the preparation in which water diluted with 10.5 ml of granules. A single dose may vary from 5 to 20 mg, the dosage is chosen according to the age and weight of the child. The maximum allowable daily dose is 100 mg.
Clozapine contraindications