Severe side effects of the most effective schizophrenia medication
What is it about?
Clozapine, the most effective medication for schizophrenia, has difficult side effects, but the risks associated with long-term use are not well understood. We examined these risks over several years of clozapine treatment and found that pneumonia and severely slowed digestion were common, both contributing to an increased risk of death. We also identified two enzymes involved in breaking down clozapine that influenced the likelihood of developing pneumonia.
Why is it important?
Our study highlights the urgent need for more effective strategies to prevent pneumonia and severely slowed digestion, two serious side effects that compromise the safety of clozapine, the most effective schizophrenia medication. Our findings further suggest that genetic testing could help identify patients at higher risk for clozapine-induced pneumonia.