Multiple-dose pharmacokinetics of clozapine in patients.

After a 2-day buildup, patients were dosed continuously with clozapine solution at three ascending dose levels (37.5, 75, and 150 mg bid for 7 days at each dose level). Following the morning administration on the twenty-third day of dosing a drug holiday was instituted which lasted for a minimum of 48 hr. Serial plasma samples were obtained during each of the periods and during the drug holiday for the calculation of the steady-state parameters AUCSS, CSSmax, and CSSmin at each dose level as well as for the assessment of the terminal elimination rate. Mean parameter values for AUCSS, CSSmax, and CSSmin showed a linearly increasing response with the dose, well described by a straight line passing through the origin. The terminal elimination appeared to follow linear kinetics and had a mean half-life of 15.8 hr (range, 5.8-33 hr).