Risperidone

CAUTION:
Studies have shown that older adults with dementia (significant loss of intellectual abilities, such as memory, severe enough to affect social or occupational functioning) who take antipsychotic medications such as risperidone to treat behavioral problems have an increased chance of and death. Risperidone is not approved by the FDA for use in the treatment of behavioral disorders in older adults with dementia.Talk to the doctor who prescribed this medication, if you, a family member, or someone you take care of is taking risperidone to treat behavioral problems associated with dementia.

General Information and Indications:

Risperidone is used to treat the symptoms of schizophrenia (a mental illness that causes disturbed or unusual thinking, loss of interest in life, and strong or inappropriate emotions). It is also used to treat episodes of mania (frenzied, abnormally excited or irritated mood) or mixed episodes (symptoms of mania and depression that happen together) in patients with bipolar I disorder (manic depressive disorder; a disease that causes episodes of depression, episodes of mania, and other abnormal moods). Risperidone is in a class of medications called atypical antipsychotics. It works by changing the activity of certain natural substances in the brain.

Information For Users:

Risperidone comes as a tablet, a solution (liquid), and an orally disintegrating tablet (tablet that dissolves quickly in the mouth) to take by mouth. It is usually taken once or twice a day with or without food. Take risperidone at around the same time(s) every day. Follow the directions on your prescription label, ask your doctor or pharmacist If you have any questions. Take risperidone exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your health care provider.

Use the dropper provided to measure your dose of risperidone oral solution. You can take the oral solution with water, orange juice, coffee, or low-fat milk. Do not take the solution with tea or cola.

To take the orally disintegrating tablet, use dry hands to peel back the foil packaging. Immediately take out the tablet and place it in your mouth. The tablet will quickly dissolve and can be swallowed with saliva. No water is needed to swallow disintegrating tablets.

Your doctor will probably start you on a low dose of risperidone and slowly increase your dose every day for several days, and then not more than once every week.

Risperidone controls schizophrenia but does not cure it. It may take several weeks or longer before you feel the full benefit of risperidone. Continue taking risperidone even if you feel well. Do not discontinue taking risperidone without informing your doctor. If you suddenly stop taking risperidone, your symptoms may return and your illness may become harder to treat.

Risperidone is also sometimes used to treat severe behavioral problems in children and teenagers who have autistic disorders. Talk to your doctor about the possible risks of using this drug for your child's condition.

special precautions:

o Inform your doctor or pharmacist if you have allergy to risperidone or any other medications.
o Inform your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention amiodarone (Cordarone); antidepressants; buproprion (Wellbutrin); carbamazepine (Tegretol); celecoxib (Celebrex); chlorpromazine (Thorazine); cimetidine (Tagamet); cisapride (Propulsid); clomipramine (Anafranil); clozapine (Clozaril); disopyramide (Norpace); dofetilide (Tikosyn); doxorubicin (Adriamycin); ergot alkaloids such as bromocriptine (Parlodel), cabergoline (Dostinex), ergonovine (Ergotrate), ergotamine (Cafergot, Ercaf, others), methylergonovine (Methergine), and methysergide (Sansert); erythromycin (E.E.S, E-Mycin, Erythrocin); fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem); furosemide (Lasix); levodopa (Dopar, Sinemet) medications for anxiety, high blood pressure, or seizures; metoclopromide (Reglan); methadone (Dolophine); moxifloxacin (Avelox); other medications for mental illness; paroxetine (Paxil); pimozide (Orap); phenobarbital (Luminal, Solfoton); phenytoin (Dilantin); procainamide (Procanbid, Pronestyl); quinidine (Quinaglute, Quinidex); ranitidine (Zantac); rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane); ritonavir (Norvir); ropinarole (Requip); sedatives; sertraline (Zoloft); sleeping pills; sotalol (Betapace); sparfloxacin (Zagam); terbinafine (Lamisil); thioridazine (Mellaril); tranquilizers; and valproic acid (Depakote, Depakene).Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects.
o Inform your doctor if you use or have ever used street drugs or large amounts of alcohol and if you have or have ever had Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, difficulty swallowing, breast cancer, angina (chest pain), irregular heartbeat, problems with your blood pressure, heart failure, a heart attack, a stroke, seizures, kidney or liver disease, or if you or anyone in your family has or has ever had diabetes. Also Inform your doctor if you have ever had to stop taking a medication for mental illness because of severe side effects.
o Inform your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. If you become pregnant while taking risperidone, call your doctor. Do not breastfeed while taking risperidone.
o if you are having surgery, including dental surgery, Inform your doctor or dentist that you are taking risperidone.
o you should know that risperidone may make you drowsy. Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how this medication affects you.
o remember that alcohol can add to the drowsiness caused by this medication. Do not drink alcohol while taking risperidone.
o you should know that you may have increases in your blood sugar (hyperglycemia) while you are taking this medication, even if you do not already have diabetes. If you have schizophrenia, you are more likely to develop diabetes than people who do not have schizophrenia, and taking risperidone or similar medications may increase this risk. Inform your doctor immediately if you have any of the following symptoms while you are taking risperidone: extreme thirst, frequent urination, extreme hunger, blurred vision (Impaired vision), or weakness. It is very important to call your doctor as soon as you have any of these symptoms, because high blood sugar can cause more serious symptoms, such as dry mouth, upset stomach and vomiting, shortness of breath, breath that smells fruity, or decreased consciousness, and may become life-threatening if it is not treated at an early stage.
o you should know that risperidone may make it harder for your body to cool down when it gets very hot . Inform your doctor if you plan to do vigorous exercise or be exposed to extreme heat.
o you should know that risperidone may cause dizziness, lightheadedness, and fainting when you get up too quickly from a lying position. This is more common when you first start taking risperidone. To avoid this problem, get out of bed slowly, resting your feet on the floor for a few minutes before standing up.
o if you have phenylketonuria (PKU, an inherited condition in which a special diet must be followed to prevent mental retardation), you should know that the orally disintegrating tablets contain phenylalanine.

Possible Adverse Effects:

Risperidone may cause adverse effects. Inform your doctor if any of the following symptoms are severe or do not go away:

o drowsiness
o dizziness
o diarrhea
o constipation
o heartburn
o weight gain
o stomach pain
o increased dreaming
o anxiety
o agitation
o difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
o decreased sexual interest or ability
o heavy bleeding during menstrual periods
o runny nose
o cough
o sore throat
o muscle pain
o dry or discolored skin
o difficulty in urination

Some adverse effects could be serious. If you experience any of the following symptoms or those listed in the SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS section, call your doctor without delay:

o fever
o muscle stiffness
o confusion
o fast or irregular pulse
o sweating
o unusual movements of your face or body that you cannot control
o slow or difficult speech
o faintness
o weakness or numbness in an arm or leg
o seizures
o difficulty swallowing
o slow movements or shuffling walk
o rash
o painful erection of the penis that lasts for hours
o unusual bruising or bleeding
o yellowing of the skin or eyes, jaundice

Possible Symptoms of Overdose:

o drowsiness
o rapid, pounding, or irregular heartbeat
o upset stomach
o blurred vision (Impaired vision)
o fainting
o dizziness
o seizures

Brand Name(s):

o Risperdal®
o Risperdal® M-TAB®