Risperidone Side Effects

The overall effectiveness of traditional antipsychotics has been hindered by their extrapyramidal sideeffects, which contribute to noncompliance and relapse in patients with schizophrenia. The side effectsassociated with traditional antipsychotic treatment are generally minimal in patients who take risperidone,a combined 5-HT₂/D₂ antagonist, but the literature is sparse on adverse events among the neweratypical antipsychotics. Risperidone is associated with relatively few motor side effects compared withthe traditional antipsychotics, and weight gain is less likely with risperidone than with either clozapine orolanzapine. While increased prolactin levels have been reported in patients taking risperidone, little correlationhas been found between prolactin levels and adverse events. As antipsychotic treatment optionsexpand to include the new agents, it is important for clinicians to anticipate side effects and to query patientsabout specific adverse events.