Clinical Information

Clozapine (Clozaril), a tricyclic dibenzodiazepine, is used for the symptomatic management of psychotic disorders and is considered an atypical antipsychotic drug. It is currently used primarily for the treatment of patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorders who are at risk for recurrent suicidal behavior and who have encountered nonresponse or adverse, intolerable extrapyramidal side effects with more classical antipsychotics (chlorpromazine, haloperidol). Clozapine is metabolized to desmethylated and N-oxide derivatives. The desmethyl metabolite (norclozapine) has only limited activity, and N-oxide metabolite is inactive.