| CASE REPORT |
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| Year : 2016 | Volume
: 21
| Issue : 1 | Page : 58-61 |
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Does clozapine improve competency restoration? a case report of schizophrenia patient opined incompetent to stand trial unlikely to be restored
Aqeel Hashmi, Ajay Kumar Parsaik
Department of Psychiatry and Behavior Sciences, University of Texas Medical School, Houston, TX, USA
Correspondence Address:
Ajay Kumar Parsaik
Department of Psychiatry and Behavior Sciences, Harris County Psychiatric Center, University of Texas Health Science Center, 2800 South MacGregor Way, Houston, TX 77021
USA
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/0971-8990.182092
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A number of defendants with chronic psychotic disorders are opined incompetent to stand trial and are subsequently committed for competency restoration. To the best of our knowledge, the role of clozapine in restoring competency among defendants suffering from treatment-resistant schizophrenia has not been previously reported. This article reports a defendant with a diagnosis of treatment-resistant schizophrenia, who was treated with clozapine and restored to competency within a short duration. During a subsequent hospitalization, the same patient was treated with different antipsychotic medications and was found “incompetent to stand trial and unlikely to be restored.” Therefore, clozapine may play an important role in restoring competency in patients with chronic psychotic illness. The authors discuss the potential benefits and underutilization of clozapine therapy in competency restoration. |
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