[Development and implementation of clozapine protocol in patients with schizophrenia in Greece].

[Development and implementation of clozapine protocol in patients with schizophrenia in Greece]. Psychiatriki. 2020 Jan-Mar;31(1):70-81 Authors: Nystazaki M, Karanikola M, Gartzoni V, Georgou A, Tolia S, Liapis C, Psomiadi M, Alevizopoulos G Abstract Clozapine is an atypical antipsychotic used for the treatment of resistant schizophrenia, exhibiting significant advantages over other antipsychotic agents. Clozapine efficacy is well established in people diagnosed with schizophrenia via reducing both positive and negative symptoms. Also, is associated with a low risk of extrapyramidal side effects compared to other antipsychotics. Despite the above, clozapine is an unpopular therapeutic option for patients not previously responded to other antipsychotics, because of adverse side effects, such as hyper-salivation and weight gain or critical side effects, i.e., risk for developing neutropenia and agranulocytosis and the need for a systematic and vigilant patients' monitoring, causing discomfort to them and increased expenses to the healthcare system. The aim of the present article is to describe (a) the development of a "clozapine treatment monitoring protocol", and (b) the monitoring process applied at the Department of Psychiatry of Aghioi Anargyroi Cancer Hospital in patients under clozapine treatment. For the protocol development a systematic review of the existing literature was conducted. An advanced search in Medline, CINAHL, Scop...
Source: Psychiatriki - Category: Psychiatry Tags: Psychiatriki Source Type: research