Korean J Psychopharmacol.
2000 Mar;11(1):73-77.
The Efficacy and Safety of Concurrent Administration of Clozapine and Electroconvulsive Therapy: A Case Report
- Affiliations
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- 1Department of Psychiatry, Inha University College of Medicine, Incheon, Korea.
Abstract
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To assess the efficacy and safety of combining electroconvulsive therapy(ECT) and clozapine in patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia, the authors reviewed use of this combination in one treatment-resistant schizophrenic inpatient and to explain the mechanism of this combination, we measured the blood level of clozapine and its metabolite with high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC) before, during and after this combination. The combination of clozapine and bilateral ECT was mildly effective and the authors saw no adverse effects during combined treatment. The blood levels of clozapine and its metabolite did not significant change before, during and afyer this combination. Combining ECT and clozapine appears to be safe and is effective without significant change of the blood levels of clozapine and its metabolites in some patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia.