No EPS Or TD? This has to be good surely!

[milkman]

ive read on the internet that there is absolutely NO chance of getting TD or EPS from clozapine. Is this true? Is this what makes clozapine unique?

[netsavy006]

This is from the Clozaril PI sheet:

Tardive Dyskinesia

A syndrome consisting of potentially irreversible, involuntary, dyskinetic movements may

develop in patients treated with antipsychotic drugs. Although the prevalence of the syndrome

appears to be highest among the elderly, especially elderly women, it is impossible to rely upon

prevalence estimates to predict, at the inception of treatment, which patients are likely to develop

the syndrome.

There are several reasons for predicting that CLOZARIL may be different from other

antipsychotic drugs in its potential for inducing tardive dyskinesia, including the preclinical

finding that it has a relatively weak dopamine-blocking effect and the clinical finding of a low

incidence of certain acute extrapyramidal symptoms, e.g., dystonia. A few cases of tardive

dyskinesia have been reported in patients on CLOZARIL who had been previously treated with

other antipsychotic agents, so that a causal relationship cannot be established. There have been

no reports of tardive dyskinesia directly attributable to CLOZARIL alone. Nevertheless, it cannot

be concluded, without more extended experience, that CLOZARIL is incapable of inducing this

syndrome.

Both the risk of developing the syndrome and the likelihood that it will become irreversible are

believed to increase as the duration of treatment and the total cumulative dose of antipsychotic

drugs administered to the patient increase. However, the syndrome can develop, although much

less commonly, after relatively brief treatment periods at low doses. There is no known treatment

for established cases of tardive dyskinesia, although the syndrome may remit, partially or

completely, if antipsychotic drug treatment is withdrawn. Antipsychotic drug treatment, itself,

however, may suppress (or partially suppress) the signs and symptoms of the syndrome and

thereby may possibly mask the underlying process. The effect that symptom suppression has

upon the long-term course of the syndrome is unknown.

Given these considerations, CLOZARIL should be prescribed in a manner that is most likely to

minimize the occurrence of tardive dyskinesia. As with any antipsychotic drug, chronic

CLOZARIL use should be reserved for patients who appear to be obtaining substantial benefit

from the drug. In such patients, the smallest dose and the shortest duration of treatment should be

sought. The need for continued treatment should be reassessed periodically.

If signs and symptoms of tardive dyskinesia appear in a patient on CLOZARIL, drug

discontinuation should be considered. However, some patients may require treatment with

CLOZARIL despite the presence of the syndrome.

In regards to EPS, I'm not sure if it's an entire unknown to happen. I'm sure there are people who've tired Clozril (clozapine) who may still get EPS, but maybe to a lesser degree, I don't know. I'm not everyone else.

I hope other people who have taken clozaril will chime in.

With this info though I hope you make the right choices in your treatment decisions.