The effects of clozapine on severely aggressive psychiatric inpatients in a state hospital

Background: After noting a dramatic reduction in aggression and agitation in five psychotic inpatients residing on a specialized unit for the severely aggressive, the authors conducted a retrospective chart review to assess the possible role of clozapine treatment in this change. Method: The authors culled 12 months of nursing data, including progress notes, orders for seclusion, and mechanical and chemical restraint, to tabulate the frequency of aggression before and after the initiation of clozapine treatment, and looked at ratings on the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale and periodic review reports to assess overall clinical change