We report the case of a patient with paranoid schizophrenia who developed two episodes of severe hepatotoxicity. They were attributed to the side effects of valproic acid and clozapine. This relationship was established by the temporal proximity between the onset of medication and the development of side effects, the clinical remission after drug cessation and the exclusion of other causes of hepatic diseases. On the follow-up, the patient was treated with eletroconvulsive therapy. This case report highlights the relevance of careful vigilance of adverse effects of psychotropics, especially hepatotoxicity, and the role of eletroconvulsive therapy when there are pharmacological constraints.
hepatotoxicity; valproic acid; clozapine; eletroconvulsive therapy