Clozapine is among the earliest, and arguably the best, of the “atypical” second-generation antipsychotic drug class. It was synthesized in the early 1960s, found to have promising antischizophrenic effects, first marketed in Europe in 1972, withdrawn 3 years later after causing agranulocytosis - a potentially fatal blood disorder due to a severe lack of infection-fighting white blood cells - and deaths in a number of patients, and reintroduced in American and European markets in 1989 due to it being more effective than other drugs, but subjected to the conduct of costly blood tests at very regular, specified intervals.
Clozapine is different from the “typical” antipsychotic drugs when it was developed in the 1960s, such as chlorpromazine, because it did not cause tremors and rigidity, the extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) that resemble Parkinson’s disease, but due to its dangers, it is primarily given to the 30-40 percent of those with chronic schizophrenia who are poorly controlled with other antipsychotic drugs and those schizophrenics who are at high risk of suicidal behavior. Clozapine's effectiveness has led to the development of newer second-generation drugs (such as olanzapine), which are although not as effective, but are safer than clozapine. Their antischizophrenic effects are possibly achieved by blocking both serotonin and dopamine receptors in the brain.
Clozapine's riskiness is probably the reason why my psychiatrist did not prescribed this medication for me.
Clozapine is different from the “typical” antipsychotic drugs when it was developed in the 1960s, such as chlorpromazine, because it did not cause tremors and rigidity, the extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) that resemble Parkinson’s disease, but due to its dangers, it is primarily given to the 30-40 percent of those with chronic schizophrenia who are poorly controlled with other antipsychotic drugs and those schizophrenics who are at high risk of suicidal behavior. Clozapine's effectiveness has led to the development of newer second-generation drugs (such as olanzapine), which are although not as effective, but are safer than clozapine. Their antischizophrenic effects are possibly achieved by blocking both serotonin and dopamine receptors in the brain.
Clozapine's riskiness is probably the reason why my psychiatrist did not prescribed this medication for me.
References:
- The Drug Book - From Arsenic to Xanax, 250 Milestones in the History of Drugs, Michael C. Gerald, 2013