Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 1, 2025
07:35
Methods for Studying the Mechanisms of Action of Antipsychotic Drugs in Caenorhabditis elegans
Published on: February 4, 2014
11.7K
Hepatoxicity Induced by Clozapine: Case Report and Brief Review
Joshep Revilla-Zúñiga1, Joise Cornejo-Del Carpio2, Lizardo Cruzado1
1Instituto Nacional de Salud Mental Honorio Delgado-Hideyo Noguchi, Lima, Perú; Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Perú.
Revista Colombiana De Psiquiatria (English Ed.)
|June 25, 2021
Summary
Clozapine, an antipsychotic for schizophrenia, can cause liver damage. This case report details a fatal outcome of clozapine-induced hepatotoxicity, highlighting the need for careful monitoring.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology
- Pharmacology
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Antipsychotics can cause transient elevations in hepatic enzymes.
- Clozapine, an atypical antipsychotic, is used for treatment-resistant schizophrenia.
- Evidence suggests clozapine can elevate hepatic transaminases, indicating hepatocellular liver damage.
Observation:
- A 39-year-old female diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia presented with nausea, vomiting, and jaundice post-clozapine initiation.
- Clinical symptoms did not improve during hospitalization.
- The patient died after 44 days of hospitalization.
Findings:
- This case represents the third reported instance of fatal clozapine-induced hepatotoxicity in the medical literature.
- While clozapine can cause asymptomatic, transient liver enzyme elevations, specific clinical criteria warrant its discontinuation.
- Hepatotoxicity from clozapine can manifest in a hepatocellular pattern.
Implications:
- This case underscores the potential for severe, fatal hepatotoxicity associated with clozapine therapy.
- Vigilant monitoring of liver function is crucial for patients undergoing clozapine treatment.
- Early recognition and intervention based on clinical criteria are essential to mitigate risks associated with clozapine-induced liver injury.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Psychosis: Goals of Pharmacotherapy
295
Antipsychotic drugs are a crucial treatment method for acute and chronic psychoses, bipolar illness, and behavioral disorders. The selection of these drugs depends on several factors, including the state of the disease, clinical judgment, possible drug interactions, and the patient's sensitivity to adverse effects. In immediate scenarios, such as delirium and dementia, short-term treatment with low doses of high-potency typical or atypical agents can effectively manage symptom exacerbation.
295
01:08Effect of Hepatic Disease on Pharmacokinetics: Dose Adjustments Due to Hepatic Impairment
48
Hepatic impairment, characterized by decreased liver function, does not uniformly mandate adjustments in drug dosage. Whether dosage modifications are necessary depends on various factors related to the drug's metabolism and elimination pathways. If a drug is primarily excreted via the kidneys and bypasses significant hepatic processing, if it undergoes minimal metabolic transformation in the liver, or if it is volatile and primarily expelled through the lungs, dose adjustments may not be...
48
01:22Effect of Hepatic Disease on Pharmacokinetics: Pathophysiologic Assessment and Liver Function Test
43
In clinical practice, the direct measurement of hepatic blood flow to evaluate liver function presents significant challenges due to the intricate and specialized nature of the necessary techniques. Consequently, healthcare professionals often rely on empirical estimates derived from thorough patient examinations and liver function tests to gauge liver health. Among the tools at their disposal, the Child–Pugh and MELD scoring systems stand out for their ability to categorize and assess...
43
01:28Drug Therapy
131
The advent of drug therapy has profoundly shaped modern mental health care, providing targeted treatments for a range of psychological disorders. Psychotherapeutic drugs, classified into antianxiety, antidepressant, and antipsychotic medications, address symptoms across anxiety disorders, mood disorders, and schizophrenia. While these medications have transformed patient outcomes, they require careful management due to their potential side effects and limitations.
Antianxiety Medications
Antianxiety Medications
131
01:28Psychosis and Antipsychotic Drugs: Overview
564
The term "psychosis" refers to a spectrum of mental disorders characterized by abnormal thoughts, perceptions, and behaviors. It can manifest as mood disorders, dementia, delirium with psychotic features, substance-induced psychosis with psychotic features, brief psychotic disorder, delusional disorder, schizoaffective disorder, and schizophrenia. Among all these disorders, schizophrenia is the most common psychotic disorder, affecting 1% of the worldwide population. Psychotic...
564
01:26Effect of Hepatic Disease on Pharmacokinetics: Drug Dosing and Hepatic Blood Flow
46
Chronic liver disease significantly impacts drug metabolism due to alterations in hepatic blood flow and enzyme accessibility. This disruption affects the body's pharmacokinetics—the movement and processing of drugs within the system. Key enzymes crucial for metabolizing medications become less accessible, changing how drugs are processed and utilized. Furthermore, liver disease influences the synthesis of plasma proteins, such as albumin and globulins, which play critical roles in drug...
46