Some Risperdal Side Effects

Risperidal, a brand name for the drug risperidone, is an "atypical" antipsychotic drug. These drugs have a lower risk of neurological side effects than older antipsychotics. Risperidone is used to treat both acute and chronic psychotic conditions, such as schizophrenia. It's also used to calm agitation in a variety of conditions, such as aggressive behavior in children with autism or developmental disabilities. Side effects can be acute, occurring shortly after the medication is administered, or chronic, appearing after long-term use.

Acute Dystonia

Acute dystonia is a condition is which there are sudden, severe muscle spasms, which can lead to a jaw being locked shut or the eyes being locked in one position, a condition known as oculogyric crisis. Acute dystonia is very alarming and can be life-threatening. Urgent treatment with anticholinergic medications relieves the symptoms.

Akathisia

Akathisia is a state of internal discomfort accompanied by repetitive movements. The patient might move his leg back and forth all day long. He might pace back and forth along the hospital corridor. He can stop the movement for a while if he notices it, but when his attention moves elsewhere, it will start up again. As explained in "Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry," akathisia can be mistaken for an increase in the level of psychosis, instead of being recognized as a side effect of antipsychotic medications.

Tardive Dyskinesia

Long term use of risperidone can lead to tardive dyskinesia, an irreversible movement disorder. Most often the tongue and mouth are involved. The patient appears to be constantly chewing and grimacing. The hands or other parts of the body can also be affected. These movements are involuntary and can be quite incapacitating, partly because of their off-putting appearance to others. There is no effective treatment. Stopping the causative agent doesn't make the movements go away; they can, in fact, worsen when the antipsychotic medication is stopped.

Elevated Blood Glucose

Risperidone can cause increased blood glucose levels and diabetes. As shown in a study published in 2003 in "Pharmacotherapy," it's less likely to do so than other atypical antipsychotics, such as clozapine or olanzapine. The risk of diabetes is, however, greater than older antipsychotics, such as haloperidol.

Elevated Prolactin

Risperidone can cause an elevation of the hormone prolactin in the blood, as described by a study published in 1999 in the "Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology." Effects include milk production in women, and decreased libido and erectile dysfunction in men.