Case report: rapidly fatal bowel ischaemia on clozapine treatment

BACKGROUND: There have been previous reported deaths due to clozapine-induced constipation. In all these cases patients have experienced prior abdominal symptoms over a period of weeks or months. CASE PRESENTATION: We report the sudden death due to constipation of a healthy young male patient on clozapine without any known history of prior abdominal symptoms. CONCLUSION: Psychiatrists need to be alert to the medical emergencies which can occur in the context of clozapine treatment and also need to make other clinicians who may have contact with their patients aware of these.