Clopixene Special Precautions

General: Because of the significant risk of agranulocytosis, a potential life-threatening adverse event, clozapine should be reserved for use in the treatment of severely ill patients with schizophrenia who fail to show an acceptable response to adequate courses of standard drug treatment for schizophrenia, either because of insufficient effectiveness or the inability to achieve an effective dose due to intolerable adverse effects from those drugs, or for reducing the risk of recurrent suicidal behavior in patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder who are judged to be at risk of re-experiencing suicidal behavior. Patients who are being treated with Clozapine must have a baseline white blood cell (wbc) and differential count before initiation of treatment, and a wbc count every week for the first six months.
Caution should be used in administering Clozapine to patients having a history of seizures or other predisposing factors. Because of the substantial risk of seizure associated with Clozapine use, patients should be advised not to engage in any activity where sudden loss of consciousness could cause serious risk to themselves or others, e.g., the operation of complex machinery, driving an automobile, swimming, climbing, etc.