Fatalities Associated With Clozapine-Related Constipation and Bowel Obstruction: A Literature Review and Two Case Reports

BackgroundConstipation is an exceedingly common side effect of treatment with clozapine. In rare cases, this side effect has resulted in fatal complications.ObjectiveThe authors review the literature on fatal complications of clozapine-related constipation and bowel obstruction.MethodThe authors provide two new case reports of patients who died of similar causes.ResultsThere were seven reports of deaths from clozapine-related bowel obstruction in the literature, with the most common mechanisms of death being severe impaction leading either to feculent vomiting or bowel necrosis.DiscussionThe discussion outlines potential mechanisms and management of clozapine-related constipation.