What are nursing considerations for clozapine?

Monitor patient regularly for signs and symptoms of diabetes mellitus. Encourage voiding before taking drug to decrease anticholinergic effects of urinary retention. Follow guidelines for discontinuation or reinstitution of the drug. Educate patient on seriousness of potential agranulocytosis.

What is your nursing responsibilities for patients taking antipsychotic drugs?

General responsibilities of a psychiatric nurse Check vital signs before and after medication. Client is instructed to take sips of water frequently for avoiding of dry mouth; application of glycerine is also recommended. Increased intake of fluid and high fiber diet is recommended to avoid constipation.

What are the precautions for clozapine?

Check with your doctor right away if you are having convulsions (seizures), difficulty with breathing, fast heartbeat, high fever, high or low blood pressure, increased sweating, loss of bladder control, severe muscle stiffness, unusually pale skin, or tiredness.

Does clozapine cause diabetes?

In recent years, clozapine has been linked to the development of diabetes in a number of individual cases, but the general scope of the effect has not been characterized. A recent naturalistic follow-up study of 82 patients starting clozapine treatment reported an alarming diabetes rate of 36.6% (30/82) within 5 years.

What should I check before giving clozapine?

Monitoring clozapine patients Baseline blood tests should check white cell count, troponins, CRP and possibly BNP3. Patients with a history of cardiac disease or abnormal cardiac findings on examination (such as QT prolongation) should be referred to a cardiologist7.

What happens when you take clozapine?

Clozapine is a psychiatric medication (anti-psychotic type) that works by helping to restore the balance of certain natural substances (neurotransmitters) in the brain. Clozapine decreases hallucinations and helps prevent suicide in people who are likely to try to harm themselves.

Why is the nurse’s role in the administration of antipsychotic drugs in the health care setting so important?

Nurses play a key role in educating patients and families about antipsychotic-induced movement disorders. Central to this education is the availability of FDA-approved medications for TD that allow the patient to remain on their current antipsychotic regimen.

Why do you monitor clozapine?

Clozapine is an atypical antipsychotic that is used for treatment-resistant schizophrenia. The drug is subject to strict monitoring requirements because it is associated with serious side effects, such as neutropenia, agranulocytosis, seizures, myocarditis and cardiomyopathy.

Does clozapine require blood monitoring?

In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration requires regular blood count monitoring of all patients taking clozapine. An uncommon but serious side effect of clozapine is severe neutropenia, defined as an absolute neutrophil count (ANC) less than 500/μL.

Does clozapine increase insulin?

After initiation of clozapine, blood sugars increased several fold within few days. Blood glucose continued to increase even with high doses of insulin and insulin infusion. Finally, blood sugars came under control only after discontinuation of clozapine.

Does clozapine affect blood sugar?

Clozapine is associated with significantly higher glucose levels on oral glucose tolerance testing than typical antipsychotics8. Clozapine treatment has been found to be associated with the development of abnormal glucose control in 55% of patients, and significantly increased fasting glucose levels within 3 months9.

What are the nursing considerations for clozapine?

clozapine Nursing Considerations & Management 1 Drug Name. 2 Dosage & Route. Initial therapy: 12.5 mg PO once or twice daily. 3 Therapeutic actions. Clozapine has relatively weak dopamine receptor-blocking activity at D 1, D 2,… 4 Indications. 5 Adverse effects. Drowsiness, dizziness, headache; nausea, vomiting, constipation; anxiety,…

Does unpredictability in client response matter in clozapine?

The unpredictability in client response poses a number of issues for nursing, which has an essential role in assuring that treatment occurs accurately and safely. The authors share their experience in working with clients, families, and staff over the past two years who have been actively involved with clozapine.

What are the nursing considerations when administering insulin?

Here are important nursing considerations when administering insulin: These are the important things the nurse should include in conducting assessment, history taking, and examination: Assess for contraindications or cautions (e.g. history of allergy, pregnancy, etc.) so that appropriate monitoring and dose adjustments can be completed.

When was clozapine first used to treat psychoses?

Since its release for clinical use in February of 1990, an ever-growing number of psychiatrists are beginning to use clozapine to treat clients whose psychoses have been refractory to conventional measures.