Clozapine-related seizures: experience with 5,629 patients

Neurology. 1994 Dec;44(12):2247-9. doi: 10.1212/wnl.44.12.2247.

Abstract

We reviewed the incidence, clinical features, and management of all clozapine-related seizures in 5,629 patients monitored by the Clozaril Patient Management System, during the first 6 months after marketing. Seventy-one patients had generalized tonic-clonic seizures yielding a frequency of 1.3%. One patient had myoclonic seizures prior to generalization. Seizures tended to occur at low doses (< 300 mg/d) during the titration phase, and at high doses (> or = 600 mg/d) during the maintenance phase. Patients with a history of seizures or epilepsy were more likely to have seizures soon after initiation of therapy, on low doses. Twenty-nine of 37 patients (78%) who had seizures and were rechallenged with clozapine were able to continue the medication with dose reduction and more-gradual dose titration, or with the addition of an antiepileptic medication.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Clozapine / adverse effects*
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Epilepsies, Myoclonic / chemically induced
  • Epilepsy / complications
  • Epilepsy, Tonic-Clonic / chemically induced
  • Epilepsy, Tonic-Clonic / epidemiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Life Tables
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Seizures / chemically induced*
  • Seizures / epidemiology
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Clozapine