Experience with clozapine in a community mental health care setting.
BACKGROUND
Clozapine has been heralded as the first major breakthrough in antipsychotic drug therapy for treatment-resistant schizophrenia in 40 years. This study reports on the experience with clozapine in an outpatient, community mental health care setting.


METHODS
All clinic patients receiving clozapine during the 4-year period 1992 to 1996 were retrospectively studied. Measures of improvement were changes in the Clinical Global Improvement (CGI) Scale and reduction in the number of hospital days after clozapine therapy.


RESULTS
Testing with the CGI scale showed moderate or marked improvement in 63% of patients. Hospital days dropped from 7,919 to 1,833 for comparable time periods. Clozapine therapy had to be discontinued in only 21% of patients, and no serious side-effects occurred.


CONCLUSIONS
Clozapine is an effective medication for treatment-resistant schizophrenia and can be safely used in chronic mental illness. Although the drug is expensive, the cost is offset by a remarkable reduction in hospital days.
Connelly
J C
JC
Fullick
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003024:Clozapine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003156:Community Mental Health Services; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010259:Paranoid Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D003024:Clozapine