Risperdal

Common Name: risperidone

How does Risperdal work?

Risperidone belongs to group of medications known as antipsychotic agents. Other members of this group of drugs include olanzapine and quetiapine. These medicines are used to treat mental and emotional problems such as schizophrenia. Schizophrenia can cause symptoms such as hallucinations (e.g., hearing, seeing, or sensing things that are not there), delusions, unusual suspiciousness, and emotional withdrawal. People with this condition may also feel depressed, anxious or tense. Risperidone is also used for the short-term treatment of behavior problems, such as verbal or physical aggression and suspiciousness and agitation, in people with severe dementia. Medicines like risperidone are thought to work by correcting the function of nerve pathways in certain areas of the brain. If you're unsure why you are taking this medication, contact your doctor.

How should I use Risperdal?

The dose varies according to needs and the condition being treated. For schizophrenia, the dose is usually started at 1 mg to 2 mg per day (given either once or twice per day) and increased slowly over several days to a usual dose of 4 mg to 6 mg per day. Lower doses are often used for the elderly and people with liver disease. For behaviour problems in people with severe dementia, the usual starting dose is 0.5 mg per day (0.25 mg twice a day). This dose is slowly increased to a usual dose of 1 mg per day (0.5 mg twice a day). The safety of risperidone has not been established beyond a maximum dose of 16 mg/day (8 mg given twice daily). Store risperidone at room temperature in a dry place (not the bathroom) and keep it out of the reach of children.

What form(s) does Risperdal come in?

Risperdal® is supplied as tablets and an oral solution. The tablets are oblong-shaped and available as 0.25 mg (yellow), 0.5 mg (brownish-red), 1 mg (white), 2 mg (orange), 3 mg (yellow), and 4 mg (green). Non-medicinal ingredients in the 1.0 mg tablets include colloidal anhydrous silica, hypromellose, lactose, magnesium stearate, maize starch, microcrystalline cellulose, propylene glycol, and sodium lauryl sulfate. The 0.5 mg tablets contain the same ingredients as the 1.0 mg tablets plus talc and titanium dioxide. The 0.25 mg tablets contain the same ingredients as the 1.0 mg tablets plus talc, titanium dioxide, and yellow ferric oxide. The 2.0 mg tablets contain the same ingredients as the 1.0 mg tablets plus talc, titanium dioxide, and sunset yellow aluminium lake. The 3.0 mg and 4.0 mg tablets contain the same ingredients as the 1.0 mg tablets plus talc, titanium dioxide, and quinoline yellow. The oral solution contains 1 mg/mL risperidone. Non-medicinal ingredients include benzoic acid, purified water, sodium hydroxide, and tartaric acid.

What should I NOT take with Risperdal?

Anyone with a known allergy to the drug or the ingredients of the product should not use it.

Are there any other precautions or warnings for Risperdal?

Parkinson's disease: Risperidone may cause a deterioration in the condition of people with Parkinson's disease and should therefore be used with caution. Low blood pressure: Risperidone may cause lowering of blood pressure when moving from a sitting or lying to a standing position, and racing heart rate, especially during the few weeks of treatment. If you feel dizzy or lightheaded or feel your pulse is racing, call your doctor. Because this medication can cause dizziness or lightheadedness, do not get up too quickly after you have been sitting or lying for prolonged periods. You should not drive or operate machinery until you are reasonably certain that risperidone does not affect your ability to carry out these activities. Tardive Dyskinesia (TD): A syndrome consisting of potentially irreversible, involuntary, dyskinetic movements may develop in people treated with conventional antipsychotic drugs. Although TD appears to be most prevalent in the elderly, especially elderly females, it is impossible to predict at the onset of treatment which people are likely to develop TD. The risk of developing TD increases with the dose used and the duration of treatment. If signs and symptoms of TD (involuntary repetitive movements of the facial and tongue muscles) develop during treatment with risperidone, the doctor should be contacted. However, some people may require treatment with risperidone despite the presence of the syndrome. Occupational hazards: Risperidone may interfere with activities requiring mental alertness. Those taking the drug are cautioned not to drive or operate machinery until they have determined that the drug does not effect them in this way. Weight gain: With continued treatment, weight gain (average of about 2.3 kg ) has been seen. Pregnancy: The safety of risperidone for use during pregnancy has not been established. Risperidone should not be used during pregnancy unless the expected benefits outweigh the potential risks. Breastfeeding: It is not known whether risperidone is excreted in human milk. Nursing should not be undertaken while using risperidone. Children and adolescents: The safety and efficacy of risperidone for children and adolescents under the age of 18 have not been established.