"I'd rather be fat and clearheaded ..."

Objective: Subjective evaluations by schizophrenic patients of clozapine tr eatment were assessed as part of an exploratory study. Methods: A problem-c entred interview was carried out with 80 patients at discharge from in-pati ent or day hospital treatment. Results: In addition to expected effects (im provement or stabilisation of one's state of mental health, antipsychotic e ffects), patients surprisingly often highlighted clozapine's calming and re laxing effect as well as improved sleep as particularly positive. While mor e than half of the respondents expected a worsening of their condition in c ase they stopped taking their medication, only every fifth patient feared a relapse. Among the negative effects, fatigue and sedation were cited by fa r the most often. The absence of extrapyramidal side effects was clearly no ted as an advantage of clozapine. Only every tenth of those questioned was aware of the risks for the haemotopoetic system associated with the drug. W ith regard to the obligatory blood tests, a surprisingly large number of pa tients was indifferent or stated that they had no opinion on the matter. Di scussion: Possible implications for patient information and compliance will be discussed.