Zyprexa vs. Clozaril

• Are Zyprexa and Clozaril the Same Thing?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Zyprexa?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Clozaril?
• What Is Zyprexa?
• What Is Clozaril?
• What Drugs Interact with Zyprexa?
• What Drugs Interact with Clozaril?
• How Should Zyprexa Be Taken?
• How Should Clozaril Be Taken?

Zyprexa (olanzapine) and Clozaril (clozapine) are antipsychotic medications used to treat schizophrenia.

Clozaril is also used to help reduce the risk of suicidal behavior in people with schizophrenia or similar disorders.

Common side effects of Zyprexa include:

• stomach upset,
• nausea,
• vomiting,
• flushing (warmth, redness, or tingly feeling),
• constipation,
• headache,
• confusion,
• memory problems,
• loss of balance or coordination,
• blurred vision,
• double vision,
• eye redness,
• lightheadedness,
• dizziness,
• spinning sensation,
• drowsiness,
• sleep problems (insomnia),
• stuffy nose,
• itching, or
• rash, especially during the first few days as your body adjusts to this medication.

Tell your doctor if you experience serious side effects of Zyprexa including:

• fever,
• chills,
• flu symptoms,
• slow heart rate,
• feeling like you might pass out,
• seizures (convulsions), or
• jaundice (yellowing of your skin or eyes).

Common side effects of Clozaril include:

• dry mouth or throat
• headache
• blurred vision
• drowsiness
• dizziness
• fatigue
• loss of appetite
• stomach pain
• nausea
• diarrhea
• constipation
• gas, or
• muscle weakness.

Zyprexa (olanzapine) is an atypical antipsychotic medication used to treat schizophrenia and manic episodes of bipolar disorder.

Clozaril (clozapine) is an antipsychotic medication that is used to treat severe schizophrenia symptoms in people who have not responded to other medications. Clozaril is also used to help reduce the risk of suicidal behavior in people with schizophrenia or similar disorders.

Zyprexa may interact with other medicines that can make you sleepy or slow your breathing (such as cold or allergy medicines, narcotic pain medicines, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicines for depression, seizure, anxiety), and heart or blood pressure medications. Zyprexa may also interact with carbamazepine, diazepam, fluoxetine, olanzapine, fluvoxamine, omeprazole, rifampin, or medications to treat Parkinson's disease.

Clozaril may interact with other medicines that can make you sleepy or slow your breathing (such as cold or allergy medicines, narcotic pain medicines, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicines for depression, seizure, anxiety), and heart or blood pressure medications. Clozaril may also interact with alcohol, other antipsychotic medications, armodafinil, modafinil, arsenic trioxide, bosentan, cimetidine, conivaptan, dexamethasone, nefazodone, imatinib, isoniazid, phenobarbital and other barbiturates, St. John's wort, tacrolimus, antibiotics, antifungals, anti-malaria medications, atropine, belladonna, clidinium, dicyclomine, scopolamine, heart or blood pressure medications, HIV/AIDS medications, medicines to prevent or treat nausea and vomiting, and migraine headache medicines.

The recommended starting dose of Zyprexa is six grams a day for the first 48 to 72 hours of treatment. Thereafter, the dosage can usually be reduced to approximately 4 grams a day. Zyprexa may interact with pyridostigmine, donepezil, galantamine, rivastigmine, or tacrine. Tell your doctor all prescription and over-the-counter medications and supplements you use. Zyprexa should be used during pregnancy only when prescribed. It is not known if this drug passes into breast milk. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding.

For most patients, the recommended dose of Clozaril is 5 mg three times a day. Based on individual patient response, the dose may be increased to 10 mg three times a day. Use of Clozaril for periods longer than two or three weeks is not recommended.