Prescribing Safety Assessment (PSA) Practice Exam

What is a common cause of neutropenia?

1. Chronic inflammation

2. Clozapine use

3. High cholesterol

4. Liver dysfunction

The correct answer is: Clozapine use

Neutropenia, which is a lower than normal number of neutrophils (a type of white blood cell), can be caused by several factors. One well-known cause is the use of certain medications, particularly clozapine, which is an atypical antipsychotic. Clozapine is associated with agranulocytosis, a more severe form of neutropenia, and it requires regular monitoring of the white blood cell count due to this risk. The mechanism behind clozapine-induced neutropenia involves immune-mediated destruction of neutrophils and direct toxicity on the bone marrow, leading to reduced production. While chronic inflammation can have various effects on blood cells, it typically leads to a different presentation rather than neutropenia specifically. High cholesterol does not influence neutrophil levels directly, and liver dysfunction is more commonly associated with alterations in production and clearance of blood components but is less specifically linked to isolated neutropenia compared to the known effects of clozapine.