Atypical antipsychotics are of great benefit to patients suffering from psychiatric disorders, such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Yet they have a wide array of adverse effects including metabolic disturbances. One such rare but potentially fatal complication is Diabetic ketoacidosis, associated with the use of Clozapine, an atypical antipsychotic. The objective of this article is to report a case of a 35-year-old male with underlying schizophrenia on clozapine 200mg BD who presented in the emergency with complaints of abdominal discomfort, sweating, vomiting and palpitations. The patient was managed as a case of diabetic ketoacidosis(DKA). Thorough investigations ruled out other possible causes. This study outlines the importance of being vigilant while managing a case with psychiatric disorder being treated with clozapine as the drug can lead to new-onset diabetes and diabetic ketoacidosis. Patients on clozapine must be regularly monitored especially during the early course of treatment to avoid the onset of such fatal adverse effects.
Keywords: Diabetic Ketoacidosis; Clozapine-Induced.