title: Clozapine cases with fatal, toxic or therapeutic concentrations.
abstract: The neuroleptic drug clozapine is used in the treatment of schizophrenia and is characterized by not having the extrapyramidal side-effects usually shown by neuroleptics. Unfortunately clozapine has other side-effects, which limit its use. This study presents methods for the analysis of clozapine and desmethylclozapine in whole blood and tissue. Case histories and pathology findings are described for 3 autopsy cases with fatal concentrations of clozapine, 5 with toxic concentrations and 2 with therapeutic concentrations together with the concentrations found in a living person.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Forensic Chemistry, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Worm
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kringsholm
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Steentoft
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003024:Clozapine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood / Q000506:poisoning* / Q000652:urine; D062787:Drug Overdose; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D005554:Forensic Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009132:Muscles / Q000737:chemistry; D013405:Suicide
chemical_list: C058272:norclozapine; D003024:Clozapine