Death related to neutropenia in clozapine-treated patients occurs at approximately which rate?

• A. 0.5%
• B. 0.1%
• C. 1%
• D. 0.013%

Answer: (D)

The key point is that deaths from neutropenia due to clozapine are extremely rare when patients are closely monitored. Clozapine can cause neutropenia and, in some cases, agranulocytosis, especially early after starting treatment. However, with regular absolute neutrophil count checks, prompt discontinuation of clozapine if neutropenia is detected, and appropriate supportive care, the chance of a fatal outcome is very small. The figure around 0.013% reflects this reality: while neutropenia occurs in a subset of patients, fatalities are uncommon because problems are identified early and managed aggressively. This is also why monitoring programs and rapid response protocols are central to clozapine therapy.