Clozaril

Clozaril is an atypical antipsychotic drug used to treat schizophrenia. It was approved by the FDA in 1997 and works by changing the actions of chemicals in the brain. It has been approved to treat severe schizophrenia and to reduce suicidal behavior in people with similar disorders. It is only given after other medications have failed. Clozaril should not be prescribed to children and has not been approved for that use.

Clozaril and other antidepressants have been linked to diabetes, hyperglycemia and pancreatitis. These side effects were found in a study conducted by Duke University and were published in a 2005 issue of the Journal of American Medical Association.

The FDA was made aware of 140 cases of new onset diabetes in patients who took Clozaril. There were also 36 cases of ketoacidosis, a potentially fatal combination of elevated blood sugar.

One youth who took Clozaril developed pancreatitis more than a month after stopping the medication. One survey showed that patients who had taken Clozaril developed high blood sugar, although they had zero problems before starting the drug. Research shows that the rate of hyperglycemia among young users of Clozaril is ten times greater than the regular population.

Clozaril is also linked to a falloff in white blood cells. This problem is called agranulocytosis and the FDA has recognized that this side effect can be caused by this drug. Patients taking Clozaril must undergo regular blood tests to watch for the condition.

Lastly, Clozaril has been linked to heat complications, and has been cited as the reason for 28 deaths since the late 1980s.Even with all of the serious side effects that are connected to Clozaril,healthcare professionals still believe that Clozaril is the miracle drugs for patients who have not been helped by any other medication or have untreatable psychosis.

Serious side effects:

• Hyperglycemia
• Diabetes
• Heart complications
• Pancreatitis
• Death

Other Side Effects:

• Urinating often
• Being very thirsty
• Feeling very hungry or tired
• Losing weight without trying
• Having sores that heal slowly
• Having dry, itchy skin
• Losing the feeling in your feet or having tingling in your feet
• Blurry eyesight
• Diabetes Mellitus
• Pancreatitis
• Hyperglycemia
• Diabetic Ketoacidosis
• Diabetic Coma