title: Clozapine prescribing in a Canadian outpatient population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Description of demographics of an outpatient population of clozapine users.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective chart review study of an urban population diagnosed with schizophrenia. Assessment of therapeutic histories in relation to clinical practice guidelines.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventy-seven of the 467 patients were on clozapine therapy. Average patients' age was 39.4 ± 11.8 years) and 68% were males. The majority of patients (68%) had tried 3 or more antipsychotics before switching to clozapine, 21% had tried two and 11% had tried one. Median length of therapy prior to clozapine initiation was 8.9 years in males and 7.7 years in females.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Until 2010, the use of clozapine was often delayed and more than 2 antipsychotic medications were tried for relatively long periods of time before patients were switched to this effective agent.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Alessi-Severini
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
authors.forename: Josee-Anne
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Le Dorze
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada ; Department of Pharmaceutical Services, Health Sciences Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Honcharik
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eleff
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D003024:Clozapine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D057915:Drug Substitution / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D003024:Clozapine