Abstract

CLOZAPINE INDUCED THROMBOCYTOPENIA - A BLOOD DYSCRASIA.

Noel M Isaac*, Mini Johnson Christudas and Dr. Umesh M

Abstract

Noel M Isaac*, Mini Johnson Christudas and Dr. Umesh M Pharmd Intern, Department of Pharmacy Practice, JSS Medical College and Hospital, JSS University, Mysore- 570 004, Karnataka, India. ABSTRACT The term “Blood Dyscrasia” refers to a diseased state of blood which may be induced by either a disease condition or with drug use. It is assumed that drug induced hematologic changes may be due to the interference of the drug with hematopoiesis in the bone marrow affecting one, two or all three major cell lines of hematopoiesis. Antipsychotic class of drugs was primarily found to induce leukopenia as a common blood dyscrasia with clozapine having the highest risk. Although data associating clozapine and leucopenia is available, data regarding that of thrombocytopenia is limited. In our study, thrombocytopenia was observed within 2 weeks of therapy with clozapine at a dose of 150mg/day. Since a reduction in dose did not show any improvements in the platelet count, clozapine was eventually stopped. Within a month of withdrawing clozapine, the platelet count gradually began to improve. Therefore, an association of the reaction with the drug should be thought of as a possible cause prior to the initiation of therapy with clozapine, and, besides monitoring the leucocyte count of patients receiving clozapine, the platelet count of these patients should also be monitored.

Keywords: Blood dyscrasias, Clozapine, Thrombocytopenia.