I Cormac1, A Brown, S Creasey, M Ferriter, B Huckstep. 1. Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, Rampton Hospital, Retford, Notts, UK. irene.cormac@nottshc.nhs.uk <irene.cormac@nottshc.nhs.uk>
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of a complete smoking ban on a group of psychiatric inpatients maintained on the antipsychotic medication clozapine. METHOD: Retrospective data on clozapine dose and plasma levels were collected from a three month period before and a six month period after the introduction of the smoking ban. RESULTS: Before the ban only 4.2% of patients who smoked had a plasma clozapine level > or =1000 microg/l but after the ban this increased to 41.7% of the sample within the six month period following the ban despite dose reductions. CONCLUSION: Abrupt cessation of smoking is associated with a potentially serious risk of toxicity in patients taking clozapine. Plasma clozapine levels must be monitored closely and adjustments made in dosage, if necessary, for at least six months after cessation.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of a complete smoking ban on a group of psychiatric inpatients maintained on the antipsychotic medication clozapine. METHOD: Retrospective data on clozapine dose and plasma levels were collected from a three month period before and a six month period after the introduction of the smoking ban. RESULTS: Before the ban only 4.2% of patients who smoked had a plasma clozapine level > or =1000 microg/l but after the ban this increased to 41.7% of the sample within the six month period following the ban despite dose reductions. CONCLUSION: Abrupt cessation of smoking is associated with a potentially serious risk of toxicity in patients taking clozapine. Plasma clozapine levels must be monitored closely and adjustments made in dosage, if necessary, for at least six months after cessation.
Authors: Marc De Hert; Dan Cohen; Julio Bobes; Marcelo Cetkovich-Bakmas; Stefan Leucht; David M Ndetei; John W Newcomer; Richard Uwakwe; Itsuo Asai; Hans-Jurgen Möller; Shiv Gautam; Johan Detraux; Christoph U Correll Journal: World Psychiatry Date: 2011-06 Impact factor: 49.548
Authors: Daniel Bergé; Anna Mané; Francina Fonseca; Alba Toll; Ana Merino; Victor Pérez; Antoni Bulbena Journal: Community Ment Health J Date: 2014-12-24