Clozapine

Clozapine, an atypical antipsychotic medication, primarily treats individuals with schizophrenia. However, it is the only medication the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) specifically approves for reducing the risk of recurrent suicidal behavior in patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder who are at risk for ongoing suicidal behavior (NIH, 2017).

While some patients benefit from clozapine, it carries risks. Specifically, clozapine can decrease the number of neutrophils, a type of white blood cell that fights infections in the body. Severe neutropenia may occur when neutrophil levels drop significantly, making the body susceptible to infections. Therefore, patients taking clozapine require regular monitoring of their absolute neutrophil count (ANC) (FDA, 2016).