Clozapine tablets are a powerful and effective oral medication containing the active ingredient clozapine at a specific strength of 100 mg per tablet. Clozapine belongs to a distinct class of medications known as atypical antipsychotics, which have a unique mechanism of action that differs from conventional antipsychotics. Clozapine is primarily used as a second- or third-line treatment for schizophrenia that has not responded adequately to other antipsychotics (treatment-resistant schizophrenia). In addition, clozapine is used to manage the psychotic symptoms of Parkinson's disease when other treatments have failed to control these symptoms. Clozapine is highly effective in relieving psychotic symptoms and reducing the risk of relapse in these difficult cases, often providing significant improvement for patients who have not benefited from other medications.
The active ingredient in Clozapine tablets
Each Clozapine tablet contains the following active ingredient, which gives it its distinct therapeutic effect in the management of intractable psychotic disorders:
Clozapine: A unique chemical compound belonging to the atypical antipsychotic class. Clozapine has a complex and multifaceted mechanism of action that differs from traditional antipsychotics. It works primarily by blocking dopamine receptors (especially D4 receptors) in the brain, but it also has a significant effect on other receptors, such as serotonin receptors (especially 5-HT2A), adrenergic receptors, histamine receptors, and acetylcholine receptors. This multi-action effect on different neurotransmitters contributes to its high effectiveness in treating resistant psychotic symptoms and reducing the extrapyramidal side effects (EPS) often associated with traditional antipsychotics. Despite its effectiveness, the use of clozapine is associated with the risk of agranulocytosis, a serious condition that requires regular blood monitoring.
Available Strengths
Clozapine tablets are typically available in various strengths to provide flexibility in dose adjustment and meet individual patient treatment needs:
25 mg: This strength is often used as a low starting dose to initiate treatment, assess patient tolerance, and reduce the risk of side effects in the early stages of treatment.
100 mg: This strength is used to achieve and maintain the target therapeutic dose in most patients who respond to clozapine treatment.
The initial and therapeutic doses are determined and gradually adjusted by a qualified psychiatrist based on a careful assessment of the patient's clinical condition, severity of psychotic symptoms, response to treatment, tolerance to potential side effects, and results of regular blood monitoring. The dose usually starts at 12.5 mg or 25 mg once or twice daily and is gradually increased over several weeks to reach the effective dose, which typically ranges between 300 and 450 mg per day. However, this dose may vary significantly between patients. You must strictly adhere to your doctor's instructions regarding the dosage and schedule of taking the medication, and do not change or stop taking it on your own.
Indications for Use of Clozapine Tablets
Clozapine tablets are primarily used in the following clinical conditions that present treatment challenges in psychiatry:
Treatment-resistant schizophrenia: Clozapine is the treatment of choice for patients with schizophrenia who have not responded satisfactorily to adequate treatment with appropriate doses of two or more other antipsychotics, including atypical antipsychotics.
Psychosis in Parkinson's disease: Clozapine is used effectively to manage hallucinations, delusions, and other psychotic symptoms that may occur in patients with Parkinson's disease when other treatments fail to control them without worsening the motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Reducing the risk of recurrent suicidal behavior in patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder: Clozapine is the only drug proven effective in reducing the risk of recurrent suicide in this group of patients.