Ms C’s first suicide attempt was at the age of 25, and she has had approximately 10 hospitalizations since that time. She also had a significant history of cutting herself. Her prior medication trials included antidepressants, mood stabilizers, anxiolytics and quetiapine. On admission Ms C was placed on 1:1 observation secondary to ongoing suicidal thoughts and desire to harm herself. Given her long history of cutting, ongoing Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical desire to commit
suicide and frequent subsequent hospitalizations, clozapine was started and titrated to a final dose of 200 mg daily (clozapine level 312 ng/ml). After clozapine was initiated, self-injurious episodes decreased. The patient’s mood improved and she no longer
had intense suicidal thoughts; 1:1 observation was discontinued three weeks after initiation of clozapine and the patient was discharged from the hospital one week after that. Ms C has not been readmitted to a state psychiatric hospital since her discharge 8 months ago. Case 4 Ms D is a Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical 27-year-old woman with a history of BPD admitted with thoughts of killing herself by running her car off the road; this was her third admission in 3 months. Ms D began cutting herself at the age of 14. Of note, her identical twin also had BPD and committed suicide. On admission, Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical Ms D continued to report a desire to harm herself during the first weeks of her hospitalization. Clozapine was suggested after the
patient had gone several weeks without notable NVP-BGJ398 clinical improvement, with ongoing suicidality Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical and self-injurious behavior. The dose was titrated to 200 mg daily (blood level was 161 ng/ml). The patient’s last self-injurious episode occurred 3 weeks after initiation of clozapine. She reported much improved mood and lower anxiety. She no longer had thoughts of killing herself. Approximately 5 weeks after initiation of clozapine, she was discharged and has not been readmitted to the state hospital since. Discussion These cases reveal important findings Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical completely consistent with the available literature regarding the effect of clozapine in nonpsychotic, self-injurious patients with BPD. First, the decrease in self-injurious behavior is striking and obvious. Second, the effect is apparent within the first 2 weeks of treatment. Third, patients report marked reductions in Ketanserin misery; they perceive clear benefit. Fourth, restrictive procedures are markedly reduced. Fifth, cost savings in terms of staffing and readmissions are substantial. Clozapine is not a treatment approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for BPD. Recent Cochrane reviews and National Centre for Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines suggest that the various nonclozapine medications commonly prescribed for individuals with BPD have little if any therapeutic effect [Stoffers et al. 2010; NICE, 2009].