Risperidone: functions, dosage, side effects, how to use it

What drug risperidone?

What is Risperidone for?

Risperidone is a drug with a function to treat certain mental / mood disorders, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and irritability associated with autistic disorders. This medication can help you to think clearly and be able to carry out normal activities in your daily life.

Risperidone belongs to a class of drugs called types of antipsychotics. This drug works to help improve the balance of certain natural substances in the brain.

OTHER USES: This section lists uses for this drug that are not specified in the United States professional label approval for drugs that may be prescribed by a healthcare professional. Use this medication for the conditions mentioned in this section only if your healthcare professional has prescribed it.

This medication can also be used with other medications to treat depression.

The risperidone dosage and the side effects of risperidone are detailed below.

How do I use Risperidone?

Use this medication by mouth, with or without food as directed by your doctor, usually once or twice daily.

This drug is packaged in a blister pack. Do not remove the tablet from the package until ready to use it. With dry hands, carefully peel off the foil on the blister pack to remove the tablets. Do not try to push the tablet against the foil as this may damage the tablet. Place the tablet on the tongue immediately and leave it on the tongue for a while. Do not separate or chew the tablet. After the tablet has melted on the tongue, it can be swallowed with or without water.

The dosage is always given based on your age, your medical condition, how you respond to therapy, and any other medications you are currently taking. Tell your doctor and pharmacist about all the products you are currently using, including prescription / nonprescription drugs and herbal medicines. To reduce the risk of side effects, your doctor may direct you to start this medication at a low dose and gradually increase the dose. Follow your doctor's instructions carefully.

Use this remedy regularly to get its benefits. To help you remember, take the medicine at the same time every day. It is very important to continue this medication as prescribed even if you are getting better. Do not stop using this medication without consulting your doctor.

Tell your doctor if your condition does not improve, or if it gets worse.

How do I store Risperidone?

This medication is best stored at room temperature, away from direct light and damp places. Don't keep it in the bathroom. Don't freeze it. Other brands of this drug may have different storage rules. Observe the storage instructions on the product package or ask your pharmacist. Keep all medicines away from children and pets.

Do not flush medicines down the toilet or down the drain unless instructed to do so. Discard this product when it has expired or when it is no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company about how to safely dispose of your product.

Risperidone dosage

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting treatment.

What is the dosage of Risperidone for adults?

Dosage for adults with Schizophrenia

Oral medicine formulations:

Initial dose: take 2 mg per day

Titration dose: may be increased in increments of 1-2 mg per day within 24 hours or more, as tolerated.

Target dose: take 4-8 mg per day

Maximum dose: take 16 mg per day

Long-acting IM Injection:

For patients who have never used the oral medication risperidone, it is recommended to build tolerance with previous oral drug formulas to overcome treatment with long acting injections.

Initial dose: 25 mg IM every 2 weeks

Titration dose: can be increased to 37.5 mg or 50 mg if needed; dose titration should occur no more frequently than every 4 weeks as drug release is expected to begin 3 weeks after injection.

Maximum dose: 50 mg IM every 2 weeks.

Dosage for adults with bipolar disorder

Oral medicine formulations:

Initial dose: take 2-3 mg per day

Titration dose: may be increased to 1 mg per day for 24 hours or more, as tolerated

Effective dosage range: take 1-6 mg per day

Maximum dose: take 6 mg per day

What is the dosage of Risperidone for children?

Dosage for children with Schizophrenia

13 years or older:

Initial dose: take 0.5 mg once a day

Titration dose: may be increased to 0.5 mg - 1 mg per day for 24 hours or more, as tolerated

Target dose: take 3 mg per day

Maximum dose: take 6 mg per day

Dosage for children with bipolar disorder

10 years or more:

Initial dose: take 0.5 mg once a day

Titration dose: may be increased to 0.5 mg - 1 mg per day for 24 hours or more, as tolerated

Target dose: take 1-2.5 mg per day

Maximum dose: take 6 mg per day

Dosage for children with Autism

Age 5-17 years:

Weight 15-20 kg:

Initial dose: take 0.25 mg once a day

Titration dose: after a minimum of 4 days, can be increased to 1 mg per day, keep this dose a minimum of 14 days, the following dosage can be increased to 0.25 mg within 2 weeks or more, as tolerance

Recommended dosage: take 0.5 mg per day

Weight 20 kg or more:

Initial dose: take 0.5 mg once a day

Titration dose: after a minimum of 4 days, can be increased to 1 mg per day, keep this dose a minimum of 14 days, the following dosage can be increased to 0.25 mg within 2 weeks or more, as tolerance

Recommended dosage: take 1 mg per day

Effective dosage range: 0.5 mg - 3 mg per day; individual dosage based on response and tolerance.

Maximum dose: take 3 mg per day

Maintenance dose: Once adequate clinical response has been achieved and maintained, consider gradually reducing the dosage to achieve the optimal balance of safety and efficacy.

In what dosage is Risperidone available?

0.25 mg tablet; 0.5 mg; 1 mg; 2 mg; 3 mg; 4 mg

Risperidone side effects

What side effects can be experienced due to Risperidone?

Seek medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives, difficulty breathing, swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Stop using risperidone and call your doctor right away if you have serious side effects such as:

• Fever, muscle stiffness, confusion, sweating, fast or unusual heartbeat
• Restless muscle movements in the eyes, tongue, chin, or neck
• Tremor
• Seizures
• Fever, goosebumps, not feeling well, flu symptoms
• Nosebleed
• Pale on the mouth or lips
• Swallowing problems
• Feelings of wanting to pass out
• Pain during erection for 4 hours or more

Less serious side effects include:

• Weight gain
• Feel hot or cold
• Headache, dizziness
• Sleepy, tired
• Dry mouth, increased appetite
• Feeling less rested
• Insomnia
• Nausea, vomiting, stomach pain
• Cough, sore throat, runny nose, itchy nose
• Smooth skin rash

Not everyone experiences this side effect. There may be some side effects not listed above. If you are concerned about the side effects please consult your doctor or pharmacist.

Risperidone Drug Warnings and Cautions

What should be known before using Risperidone?

In deciding to use a drug, the risks must be carefully considered. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this remedy, you should consider the following:

Allergy

Tell your doctor if you have ever had an unusual or allergic reaction to this or any other medicine. Also tell the professional nurse if you have any other types of allergies, such as to food, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the labels or ingredients on the packaging carefully.

Children

No information is available on the relationship between age and the effects of Risperidone in pediatric patients younger than 13 years with schizophrenia, in children younger than 10 years with bipolar disorder, or children younger than 5 years with autistic disorder. Safety and efficacy have not been established.

Elderly

Although no information is available on the relationship between age and the effects of risperidone in the geriatric population, no specific problems have been found with the use of this drug in the elderly. However, elderly or elderly patients are more sensitive to the effects of medications and age-related liver, kidney, or heart problems, thus requiring dose adjustments for elderly patients on risperidone treatment. This medicine should not be used for behavioral disorders in the elderly with dementia.

Is Risperidone safe for pregnant and lactating women?

There is no adequate research on the risks of using this drug in pregnant or breastfeeding women. Always consult your doctor to weigh the potential benefits and risks before using this medication. This drug is included in the risk of pregnancy category C according to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The following references the pregnancy risk categories according to the FDA:

• A = Not at risk
• B = No risk in several studies
• C = May be risky
• D = There is positive evidence of risk
• X = Contraindicated
• N = Unknown

Risperidone Drug Interactions

What medicines may interact with Risperidone?

Although some drugs should not be taken at the same time, in other cases some drugs can also be used together even though interactions may occur. In such cases, the doctor may change the dose, or take other preventive measures as needed. Tell your doctor if you are taking any other over-the-counter or prescription drugs.

Taking this drug with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may not prescribe this medicine to you or will replace some of the drugs you are already taking.

• Amifampridine
• Bepridil
• Cisapride
• Levomethadyl
• Mesoridazine
• Metoclopramide
• Pimozide
• Piperaquine
• Terfenadine
• Thioridazine

Using this medication with some of the medicines below is not usually recommended, but in some cases it may be necessary. If both drugs are prescribed for you, your doctor will usually change the dosage or determine how often you should take them.

• Acecainide
• Ajmaline
• Amiodarone
• Amisulpride
• Amitriptyline
• Anagrelide
• Aprindine
• Aripiprazole
• Arsenic Trioxide
• Asenapine
• Astemizole
• Azimilide
• Bretylium
• Bupropion
• Buserelin
• Chloral Hydrate
• Chloroquine
• Chlorpromazine
• Citalopram
• Clarithromycin
• Crizotinib
• Dabrafenib
• Delamanid
• Desipramine
• Deslorelin
• Dibenzepin
• Disopyramide
• Dofetilide
• Dolasetron
• Domperidone
• Doxepin
• Droperidol
• Encainide
• Enflurane
• Erythromycin
• Escitalopram
• Flecainide
• Fluconazole
• Fluoxetine
• Foscarnet
• Gemifloxacin
• Ginkgo Biloba
• Gonadorelin
• Goserelin
• Halofantrine
• Haloperidol
• Histrelin
• Hydromorphone
• Hydroquinidine
• Ibutilide
• Imipramine
• Ivabradine
• Ketoconazole
• Leuprolide
• Linezolid
• Lithium
• Lorcainide
• Mefloquine
• Metronidazole
• Milnacipran
• Moxifloxacin
• Nafarelin
• Nortriptyline
• Octreotide
• Ondansetron
• Pasireotide
• Pazopanib
• Pentamidine
• Probucol
• Procainamide
• Prochlorperazine
• Propafenone
• Protriptyline
• Quetiapine
• Sematilide
• Sertindole
• Sertraline
• Sevoflurane
• Simvastatin
• Sotalol
• Spiramycin
• Sulfamethoxazole
• Sultopride
• Tedisamil
• Telithromycin
• Tetrabenazine
• Tramadol
• Trifluoperazine
• Trimethoprim
• Trimipramine
• Triptorelin
• Vandetanib
• Vemurafenib
• Vinflunine
• Zotepine

Taking this medication with the drugs below may increase your risk of side effects, but in some cases, a combination of these two drugs may be the best treatment. If both drugs are prescribed for you, your doctor will usually change the dosage or determine how often you should take them.

• Carbamazepine
• Cimetidine
• Fosphenytoin
• Itraconazole
• Lamotrigine
• Levorphanol
• Methadone
• Midodrine
• Paroxetine
• Phenobarbital
• Phenytoin
• Ranitidine
• Ritonavir
• Valproic Acid

Can food or alcohol interact with Risperidone?

Certain drugs should not be used with meals or when eating certain foods because drug interactions can occur. Consuming alcohol or tobacco with certain drugs can also cause interactions to occur. Discuss your use of drugs with food, alcohol, or tobacco with your health care provider.

What health conditions can interact with Risperidone?

Any other health conditions you have can affect the use of this drug. Always tell your doctor if you have other health problems, especially:

• Aspiration pneumonia, risks or medical history
• Blood circulation problems
• Dehydration
• Dementia, such as a lack of mental ability
• Swallowing difficulty can make side effects worse
• Breast cancer
• Diabetes
• Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
• Blood vessel or heart problems, including strokes and unusual heartbeats
• High blood sugar
• High proclatin in the blood (Hyperprolactinemia)
• Parkinson's disease - can make the condition worse
• Kidney illness
• Liver disease - use with caution. The effect can be increased due to the slow removal of the drug from the body
• Phenylketunoria (PKU) - a tablet that can break apart can contain aspartame, which can worsen the condition

Risperidone overdose

What should I do in an emergency or overdose?

In case of an emergency or overdose, contact the local emergency services provider (112) or immediately to the nearest hospital emergency department.

Overdose symptoms include:

• Sleepy
• Fast or unusual heartbeat
• Stomach heat
• Blurred vision
• Dizzy
• Convulsions

What should I do if I miss a dose?

If you forget a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, when it is nearing the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose and return to the usual dosing schedule. Don't double the dose.