Which of the following is NOT a part of clozapine monitoring?

Clozapine is an atypical antipsychotic that requires stringent monitoring due to the risk of agranulocytosis, a potentially life-threatening decrease in white blood cells (WBCs). The monitoring regimen is in place to ensure patient safety and involves several key steps based on the duration of treatment.

Baseline WBC counts are necessary to establish a patient’s pre-treatment status before initiating clozapine. This check is critical for identifying individuals who may be at increased risk for developing low white blood cell counts as a reaction to the medication.

After starting treatment, patients are typically monitored closely in the initial phases. The guideline stipulates that during the first week of clozapine treatment, two WBC counts are conducted to monitor for any early decline in white blood cell levels, which can occur shortly after initiation.

Following the first week, weekly monitoring is required for the first six months of treatment. After this period, if the WBC counts have remained stable and the patient has not experienced significant drops in leukocyte levels, the frequency of testing can shift to every two weeks for the subsequent six months.

Once more than 12 months of stable treatment passes without significant issues, the frequency of monitoring can change to a weekly count instead,