Infection-associated clozapine toxicity

Abstract

Three case vignettes are presented documenting the rise in serum clozapine that occurred at a time of acute infection in these patients. The literature on this phenomenon is scant. The physiological processes that occur in the acute phase of the inflammatory response are summarized and provide an explanation of how clozapine levels may rise in response to infection. The risk of clozapine toxicity occurring in association with infections is highlighted.