COADMINISTRATION OF CITALOPRAM AND CLOZAPINE - EFFECT ON PLASMA CLOZAPINE LEVELS

Antidepressants are frequently used in the treatment of depressive sym ptoms associated with schizophrenia. In patients taking clozapine, cho ice of antidepressant is complicated by additive pharmacodynamic effec ts and by pharmacokinetic interactions. We predicted that citalopram w ould not elevate plasma clozapine levels when the two drugs were co-ad ministered because it does not inhibit the relevant enzyme systems. In this preliminary study of five patients given citalopram and clozapin e there was no overall change in mean clozapine levels. Based on this limited evidence, citalopram might be the antidepressant of choice in patients taking clozapine. (C) 1998 Rapid Science Ltd.