The use of clozapine and clonazepam co-administration in the treatment of a severe tardive dyskinesia: A case report

This is a case report of a patient who was treated with clozapine and clonazepam after he developed neuroleptic-induced tardive dyskinesia following treatment for schizophrenia. There are reports of clozapine treatment itself causing tardive dyskinesia; however, more reports have shown clozapine’s benefit for patients with neuroleptic-induced tardive dyskinesia. This is a case report of a patient with neuroleptic-induced tardive dyskinesia who benefitted from clozapine treatment with adjuvant use of clonazepam – the first such case report from Ethiopia. A 43-year-old male patient developed severe involuntary abnormal body movements mainly involving the trunk after he received chlorpromazine for 8 years for the diagnosis of schizophrenia. When the movement disorder became intolerable and disabling, the diagnosis of severe neuroleptic-induced tardive dyskinesia was established and the patient was started on clozapine with adjuvant clonazepam treatment. Following such management, the patient responded well a...