Clozapine-Induced Myocarditis

Clozapine's superiority in preventing relapse, rehospItalization, and suicidality associated with treatment-resistant schizophrenia is often overshadowed by its undesirable side-effect profile. Agranulocytosis and myocarditis are rare, but potentially fatal, side effects that require immediate discontinuation of clozapine treatment. Clozapine-Induced myocarditis (CIM), which has a mortality rate of 10% to 50%, commonly presents within the first month of clozapine initiation, and it can be difficult to distinguish it from a benign inflammatory response to clozapine CIM's varied and sometimes asymptomatic clinical presentation and the lack of reliable diagnostic markers create a clinical challenge. Recent case reports and monitoring recommendations provide guidance on reducing the mortality and morbidity associated with CIM.