Risperdal can also cause movement disorders that worsen over time. The disorders may be permanent, even after the person stops taking Risperdal.
But unfortunately, it can also be permanent. Metabolic changes. High blood sugar, abnormal cholesterol levels, and weight gain can occur with risperidone. These metabolic changes may raise your risk of having a heart attack, blood clot, or stroke.
The biggest disadvantages of Risperdal are the potential long-term side effects, which can include tardive dyskinesia, increased blood sugar, high triglycerides, and weight gain.
But according to a new study, long-term use of these drugs may also negatively impact brain structure. Share on Pinterest Researchers say long-term use of antipsychotic medications – particularly first-generation antipsychotics – may lead to gray matter loss in the brain. First author Dr.
Some side effects of risperidone may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects.
For neurological, neuropsychological, neurophysiological, and metabolic abnormalities of cerebral function, in fact, there is evidence suggesting that antipsychotic medications decrease the abnormalities and return the brain to more normal function.
The half-life of risperidone is another significant thing to consider. The half-life of most drugs is roughly 24 hours. However, some may take up to 4-5 days to completely leave your system. Risperidone has a 20-hour half-life in weak metabolizers, but just 3 hours in substantial metabolizers.
Evidence of the rapidity at which antipsychotics can affect brain volume in humans was recently provided by Tost and associates. These investigators found a significant, reversible decrease in striatal volume in healthy subjects within 2 hours after they were treated intravenously with haloperidol.
Tardive Dyskinesia
It is characterized by uncontrolled facial movements such as protruding tongue, chewing or sucking motions and making faces. Tardive dyskinesia is a very serious side effect of antipsychotic medications in particular, and patients taking such drugs should know what to watch for.
Previous research has also shown that the use of antipsychotics may raise the risk of metabolic syndrome in patients with schizophrenia. Metabolic syndrome has, in turn, been associated with heart disease and diabetes.
Increased risk of stroke or heart attack
Risperidone can cause metabolic changes that might increase your risk for having a stroke or heart attack. You and your doctor should watch your blood sugar, symptoms of diabetes (weakness or increased urination, thirst, or hunger), weight, and cholesterol levels.
This medicine may cause drowsiness, trouble with thinking, or trouble with controlling body movements, which may lead to falls, fractures or other injuries. Do not drive or do anything else that could be dangerous until you know how this medicine affects you.
Meyer-Lindberg himself published a study last year showing that antipsychotics cause quickly reversible changes in brain volume that do not reflect permanent loss of neurons (see 'Antipsychotic deflates the brain')7.
Many antipsychotics increase risk for metabolic syndrome and thus the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and stroke (7), which are among the common causes of premature mortality in schizophrenia (8).
Amongst the many adverse effects of the first generation, or 'typical' antipsychotics, the most disturbing was Tardive Dyskinesia, which involves uncontrollable movements of face, hands and feet [2].
For people with schizophrenia, long-term antipsychotic use is usually accompanied by adverse effects such as weight gain, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and ischemic heart disease, demonstrating their important role in increased mortality.
Results: Antipsychotics, as a group, increase weight and may lead to dry mouth and bad breath, cataracts, hirsutism, acne, and voice changes; they may disturb symmetry of gait and heighten the risk for tics and spasms and incontinence, potentially undermining a person's attractiveness.
An untreated episode of psychosis can result in structural brain damage due to neurotoxicity.
Risperidone is not addictive, but stopping it suddenly can cause problems such as difficulty sleeping, feeling or being sick, sweating, and uncontrollable muscle movements. See you doctor if you want to stop, or if you are having these effects.
You should do this by reducing your daily dose over a period of weeks or months. The longer you have been taking a drug for, the longer it is likely to take you to safely come off it. Avoid stopping suddenly, if possible. If you come off too quickly you are much more likely to have a relapse of your psychotic symptoms.
However, some patients are able to sustain a psychosis-free existence after the cessation of antipsychotics. Several studies show that only 25%–55% of patients with schizophrenia who stopped taking antipsychotic medication experienced the relapse of symptoms in the first 6 to 10 months after they stopped taking them.
If you stop antipsychotics suddenly it can cause 'rebound psychosis'. This means that the symptoms of your illness return suddenly, and you may become unwell again. This is also known as 'relapse'. If you or your family or friends think you are becoming unwell again, you should speak to your doctor.
Some people need to keep taking it long term. If you have only had one psychotic episode and you have recovered well, you would normally need to continue treatment for 1–2 years after recovery. If you have another psychotic episode, you may need to take antipsychotic medication for longer, up to 5 years.
Antipsychotics induce long-lasting changes to nerve cells in the brain and they need to be withdrawn very slowly (and in a particular way) to allow time for the brain to re-set.”