The oral medication Risperdal contains the drug risperidone, which doctors prescribe for psychotic disorders, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and irritability associated with autism. Despite its effectiveness at treating these psychological conditions, Risperdal poses a risk for side effects in some patients.

Types of Side Effects

Side effects associated with Risperdal include constipation, coughing, diarrhea, drowsiness, dry mouth, headache, heartburn, nausea, throat soreness, stuffy nose, tiredness, weakness and weight gain.

Drug Interactions

Risperdal poses a risk for dangerous decreases in blood pressure levels when combined with other medications that suppress the activities of your brain and spinal cord, explains the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Drugs with these effects include alcohol, sedatives, tranquilizers, barbiturates, narcotic pain relievers and muscle relaxants.

Risks

Some patients develop a life-threatening condition known as neuroleptic malignant syndrome while taking Risperdal, causing changes in blood pressure or heart rate, profuse sweating, breakdown of muscle tissue and kidney failure, warns the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Another risk of Risperdal is that of tardive dyskinesia, an irreversible neurological condition marked by uncontrollable twitches and movements of your facial muscles.

Warning

Patients over the age of 65 who take Risperdal for the treatment of dementia are at risk for sudden death from heart failure or fatal cases of pneumonia, reports the U.S. National Library of Medicine. For this reason, doctors rarely prescribe Risperdal for use in the elderly.

Considerations

Because its effects upon fetal development are unknown, doctors restrict the use of Risperdal in pregnant women to instances when there is no safe alternative to treatment. If you have a history of aspiration pneumonia, poor circulation, dementia, difficulty swallowing, breast cancer, heart disease, Parkinson's disease, diabetes, epilepsy, phenylketonuria or kidney or liver disease, it may not be safe for you to take Risperdal, cautions the Mayo Clinic.

Source:

U.S. National Library of Medicine Daily Med: Risperdal (risperidone) tablet

Mayo Clinic: Risperidone (Oral Route)