RISPERDAL – Risperidone

Risperdal Used For

Risperdal (Risperidone) is an antipsychotic medication that is prescribed for the treatment of schizophrenia and mania associated with bipolar disorder.

Directions for Risperdal

The recommended starting dose of Risperdal for adults is Adults 1 mg per day, split in one or two doses as per the schedule. The dose may be increased gradually as decided by the doctor, but not exceeding 16 mg a day. For children younger than 18 years of age, the dose must be determined by the doctor. Older adults can be administered 0.25 mg or 0.5 mg two times a day to start with, with the dose administered as per the schedule determined by the doctor. The dose may be increased gradually as deemed necessary but should not exceed 3 mg a day.

How Risperdal medication works

Risperdal may cause dizziness or drowsiness and so patients should avoid driving, using machinery or performing hazardous activities. Dizziness is also likely to occur when rising from a sitting or lying position. Rise slowly to prevent dizziness and a possible fall. Patients on Risperdal should avoid using alcohol as it may increase the drowsiness and dizziness caused by the medication. This medication may also lead to heat stroke and so patients should avoid becoming overheated in hot weather and during exercise. Elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis are at an increased risk of death when treated with Risperdal and this medication is not approved for such patients. Inform you doctor if you have ever had a heart attack, low blood pressure, an irregular heart-beat, or any other type of heart disease, epilepsy or another seizure disorder (or a history of this), diabetes, ever been diagnosed with breast cancer; liver or kidney disease as these conditions may require a change in medication or dosage and special monitoring during treatment. Inform your doctor immediately if you experience any signs of hyperglycemia including excessive thirst, frequent urination, excessive hunger or weakness. Risperdal orally-disintegrating tablets contain phenylalanine. The 0.5 mg tablets contain 0.14 mg phenylalanine, the 1 mg tablets contain 0.28 mg phenylalanine, and the 2 mg tablets contain 0.5 mg phenylalanine. Individuals with phenylketonuria may need to monitor their intake of this additive. Patients over 65 years of age are more likely to experience side effects from this medication and are at an increased risk of stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA, "mini-stroke").

Risperdal medication side effects

As with all other medications, Risperdal also has its own side effects which may or may not include any or all of the following: uncontrollable movements of the tongue, face, lips, arms, or legs, muscle spasms of the face or neck, severe restlessness or tremor, severe drowsiness or fainting, irregular or very fast heartbeat, mild restlessness, tremor, insomnia, blurred vision, dizziness or headache, nausea, and/or weight gain. Immediate medical attention should be sought if you experience fever, sweating, severe muscle stiffness (rigidity), confusion, fast or irregular heart beat as these could be symptoms of a potentially fatal side effect called Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS).

Other Risperdal medication information

The Risperdal tablets may be split and taken at half the dose, with or without milk.