Clozapine-induced hypertension

Abstract

Clozapine, a second-generation antipsychotic, is known to have a significant effect on the cardiovascular system, especially on blood pressure. Previous reports show about 4% incidence of clozapine-induced hypertension. However, there are very few cases reported in females. We report a case of clozapine-induced hypertension in a 30-year-old female diagnosed with schizophrenia. When she showed no response to two antipsychotics, clozapine was started. Within a few days, she developed hypertension, not manageable with simultaneous use of antihypertensive medication. Her blood pressure returned to normal after stopping clozapine. Hence, it is important to take appropriate measures to check for rare side effects like hypertension in patients receiving clozapine and to evaluate for all other possible causes.

Keywords

• clozapine
• female
• hypertension