The clozapine-induced hypersalivation and its treatment

Sialorrhea can be a side effect of treatment with neuroleptic drugs. Clozapine is an atypical wide spectrum antipsychotic that produces hypersalivation in between 10 and 72% of patients. We expose the case of a patient who developed an intense sialorrhea after being treated with clozapine that led us to the bibliographic search. We have reviewed the available material about this subject analysing the hypotheses concerning physiopathogenia as well as the treatments suggested in a number of studies. At the present time, we only have empirical approximations to explain the mechanisms which lead to this undesirable effect, that have been obtained through trial treatments and the results obtained. Several authors have agreed that the sialorrhea caused by clozapine is a troublesome and common enough side effect to warrant further investigation.