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Risperdal: Elderly patients with dementia: Overall mortality: Elderly patients with dementia treated with atypical antipsychotic drugs have an increased mortality compared to placebo in a meta-analysis of 17 controlled trials of atypical antipsychotic drugs, including RISPERDAL. In placebo-controlled trials with RISPERDAL in this population, the incidence of mortality was 4.0% for RISPERDAL-treated patients compared to 3.1% for placebo-treated patients. The mean age (range) of patients who died was 86 years (range 67 - 100).
Concomitant use with furosemide: In the RISPERDAL placebo-controlled trials in elderly patients with dementia, a higher incidence of mortality was observed in patients treated with furosemide plus risperidone (7.3%; mean age 89 years, range 75 - 97) when compared to patients treated with risperidone alone (3.1%; mean age 84 years, range 70 - 96) or furosemide alone (4.1%; mean age 80 years, range 67 - 90). The increase in mortality in patients treated with furosemide plus risperidone was observed in two of the four clinical trials.
No pathophysiological mechanism has been identified to explain this finding, and no consistent pattern for cause of death observed. Nevertheless, caution should be exercised and the risks and benefits of this combination should be considered prior to the decision to use. There was no increased incidence of mortality among patients taking other diuretics as concomitant medication with risperidone. Irrespective of treatment, dehydration was an overall risk factor for mortality and should therefore be carefully avoided in elderly patients with dementia.
Cerebrovascular adverse events (CAE): In placebo-controlled trials in elderly patients with dementia, there was a higher incidence of cerebrovascular adverse events, (cerebrovascular accidents and transient ischemic attacks), including fatalities, in patients treated with RISPERDAL compared to patients receiving placebo (mean age 85 years; range 73 - 97).
Orthostatic hypotension: Due to the alpha-blocking activity of risperidone, (orthostatic) hypotension can occur, especially during the initial dose-titration period. Clinically significant hypotension has been observed postmarketing with concomitant use of risperidone and antihypertensive treatment. RISPERDAL should be used with caution in patients with known cardiovascular disease (e.g. heart failure, myocardial infarction, conduction abnormalities, dehydration, hypovolemia, or cerebrovascular disease), and the dosage should be gradually titrated as recommended (see Dosage & Administration). A dose reduction should be considered if hypotension occurs.
Leucopenia, neutropenia, and agranulocytosis: Events of leucopenia, neutropenia and agranulocytosis have been reported with antipsychotic agents, including RISPERDAL. Agranulocytosis has been reported very rarely (< 1/10000 patients) during post-marketing surveillance.
Patients with a history of a clinically significant low white blood cell count (WBC) or a drug-induced leukopenia/neutropenia should be monitored during the first few months of therapy and discontinuation of RISPERDAL should be considered at the first sign of a clinically significant decline in WBC in the absence of other causative factors.
Patients with clinically significant neutropenia should be carefully monitored for fever or other symptoms or signs of infection and treated promptly if such symptoms or signs occur. Patients with severe neutropenia (absolute neutrophil count < 1 x 109/L) should discontinue RISPERDAL and have their WBC followed until recovery.
Venous thromboembolism: Cases of venous thromboembolism (VTE) have been reported with antipsychotic drugs. Since patients treated with antipsychotics often present with acquired risk factors for VTE, all possible risk factors for VTE should be identified before and during treatment with RISPERDAL and preventive measures undertaken.
Tardive dyskinesia/extrapyramidal symptoms (TD/EPS): Drugs with dopamine receptor antagonistic properties have been associated with the induction of tardive dyskinesia characterized by rhythmical involuntary movements, predominantly of the tongue and/or face. It has been reported that the occurrence of extrapyramidal symptoms is a risk factor for the development of tardive dyskinesia. Because RISPERDAL has a lower potential to induce extrapyramidal symptoms than classical neuroleptics, it should have a reduced risk of inducing tardive dyskinesia as compared to classical neuroleptics. If signs and symptoms of tardive dyskinesia appear, the discontinuation of all antipsychotic drugs should be considered.
Extrapyramidal symptoms and psychostimulants: Caution is warranted in patients receiving both psychostimulants (e.g. methylphenidate) and risperidone concomitantly, as extrapyramidal symptoms could emerge when adjusting one or both medications. Gradual withdrawal of one or both treatments should be considered (see Interactions).
Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS): Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome, characterized by hyperthermia, muscle rigidity, autonomic instability, altered consciousness and elevated serum creatine phosphokinase levels has been reported to occur with antipsychotics. Additional signs may include myoglobinuria (rhabdomyolysis) and acute renal failure. In this event, all antipsychotic drugs, including RISPERDAL, should be discontinued.
Parkinson's Disease and Dementia with Lewy Bodies: Physicians should weigh the risks versus the benefits when prescribing antipsychotics, including RISPERDAL, to patients with Parkinson's Disease or Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB) since both groups may be at increased risk of Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome as well as having an increased sensitivity to antipsychotic medications. Manifestation of this increased sensitivity can include confusion, obtundation, postural instability with frequent falls, in addition to extrapyramidal symptoms.
Hyperglycemia and diabetes mellitus: Hyperglycemia in some cases extreme and associated with ketoacidosis or hyperosmolar coma or death, has been reported in patients treated with atypical antipsychotics. Assessment of the relationship between atypical antipsychotic use and glucose abnormalities is complicated by the possibility of an increased background risk of diabetes mellitus in patients with schizophrenia and the increasing incidence of diabetes mellitus in the general population, Given these confounders, the relationship between atypical antipsychotic use and hyperglycemia-related adverse events is not completely understood. However, epidemiological studies suggest an increased risk of treatment-emergent hyperglycemia-related events in patients treated with the atypical antipsychotics, Precise risk estimates for hyperglycemia-related adverse events in patients treated with atypical antipsychotics are not available.
Patients with an established diagnosis of diabetes mellitus who are started on atypical antipsychotics should be monitored regularly for worsening of glucose control. Patients with risk factors for diabetes mellitus (e.g. obesity, family history of diabetes) who are starting treatment with atypical antipsychotics should undergo fasting blood glucose testing at the beginning of treatment and periodically during treatment. Any patient treated with atypical antipsychotics should be monitored for symptoms of hyperglycemia including polydipsia, polyuria, polyphagia, and weakness. Patients who develop symptoms of hyperglycemia during treatment with atypical antipsychotics should undergo fasting blood glucose testing. In some cases, hyperglycemia has resolved when the atypical antipsychotic was discontinued; however, some patients required continuation of anti-diabetic treatment despite discontinuation of the suspect drug.
Weight gain: Significant weight gain has been reported. Monitoring weight gain is advisable when RISPERDAL is being used.
QT Interval: As with other antipsychotics, caution should be exercised when RISPERDAL is prescribed in patients with a history of cardiac arrhythmias, in patients with congenital long QT syndrome, and in concomitant use with drugs known to prolong the QT interval.
Priapism: Drugs with alpha-adrenergic blocking effects have been reported to induce priapism. Priapism has been reported with RISPERDAL during postmarketing surveillance (see Adverse Reactions).
Body temperature regulation: Disruption of the body's ability to reduce core body temperature has been attributed to antipsychotic agents. Appropriate care is advised when prescribing RISPERDAL to patients who will be experiencing conditions which may contribute to an elevation in core body temperature, e.g., exercising strenuously, exposure to extreme heat, receiving concomitant medication with anticholinergic activity, or being subject to dehydration.
Antiemetic effect: An antiemetic effect was observed in preclinical studies with risperidone. This effect, if it occurs in humans, may mask the signs and symptoms of overdosage with certain drugs or of conditions such as intestinal obstruction, Reye's syndrome, and brain tumor.
Seizures: As with other antipsychotic drugs, RISPERDAL should be used cautiously in patients with a history of seizures or other conditions that potentially lower the seizure threshold.
Intraoperative Floppy Iris Syndrome: Intraoperative Floppy Iris Syndrome (IFIS) has been observed during cataract surgery in patients treated with medicines with alpha1a-adrenergic antagonist effect, including RISPERDAL (see Adverse Reactions).
IFIS may increase the risk of eye complications during and after the operation. Current or past use of medicines with alpha1a-adrenergic antagonist effect should be made known to the ophthalmic surgeon in advance of surgery. The potential benefit of stopping alpha1 blocking therapy prior to cataract surgery has not been established and must be weighed against the risk of stopping the antipsychotic therapy.
Other: See Schizophrenia: Elderly for specific posology recommendations for elderly patients under Dosage & Administration, Conduct and other disruptive behavior disorders for pediatric patients with conduct and other disruptive behavior disorders under Dosage & Administration, and Renal and Hepatic Impairment for patients with renal or hepatic impairment under Dosage & Administration.
Effects on Ability to Drive and Use Machines: RISPERDAL may interfere with activities requiring mental alertness. Therefore, patients should be advised not to drive or operate machinery until their individual susceptibility is known.
Risperdal Consta: For risperidone-naive patients, it is recommended to establish tolerability with oral risperidone prior to initiating treatment with Risperdal Consta.
Elderly Patients with Dementia: Overall Mortality: Elderly patients with dementia treated with atypical antipsychotic drugs have an increased mortality compared to placebo in a meta-analysis of 17 controlled trials of atypical antipsychotic drugs, including Risperdal. In placebo-controlled trials with oral RSPERDAL in this population, the incidence of mortality was 4.0% for RISPERDAL-treated patients compared to 3.1% for placebo-treated patients. The mean age (range) of patients who died was 86 years (range 67-100).
Concomitant Use with Furosemide: In the oral RISPERDAL placebo-controlled trials in elderly patients with dementia, a higher incidence of mortality was observed in patients treated with furosemide plus risperidone (7.3%; mean age 89 years, range 75-97) when compared to patients treated with risperidone alone (3.1%; mean age 84 years, range 70-96) or furosemide alone (4.1%; mean age 80 years, range 67-90). The increase in mortality in patients treated with furosemide plus risperidone was observed in two of the four clinical trials.
No pathophysiological mechanism has been identified to explain this finding, and no consistent pattern for cause of death observed. Nevertheless, caution should be exercised and the risks and benefits of this combination should be considered prior to the decision to use. There was no increased incidence of mortality among patients taking other diuretics as concomitant medication with risperidone. Irrespective of treatment, dehydration was an overall risk factor for mortality and should therefore be carefully avoided in elderly patients with dementia.
Cerebrovascular Adverse Events (CAE): In placebo-controlled trials in elderly patients with dementia, there was a higher incidence of cerebrovascular adverse events (cerebrovascular accidents and transient ischemic attacks,), including fatalities in patients (mean age 85 years; range 73-97) treated with oral RISPERDAL compared to patients receiving placebo.
Orthostatic Hypotension: Due to the alpha-blocking activity of risperidone, (orthostatic) hypotension can occur, especially during initiation of treatment. Clinically significant hypotension has been observed postmarketing with concomitant use of risperidone and antihypertensive treatment. Risperidone should be used with caution in patients with known cardiovascular disease (e.g., heart failure, myocardial infarction, conduction abnormalities, dehydration, hypovolemia, or cerebrovascular disease). The risk/benefit of further treatment with RISPERDAL CONSTA should be assessed if clinically relevant orthostatic hypotension persists.
Leukopenia, Neutropenia and Agranulocytosis: Events of leucopenia, neutropenia and agranulocytosis have been reported with antipsychotic agents, including RISPERDAL CONSTA. Agranulocytosis has been reported very rarely (< 1/10,000 patients) during post-marketing surveillance.
Patients with a history of a clinically significant low white blood cell count (WBC) or a drug-induced leukopenia/neutropenia should be monitored during the first few months of therapy and discontinuation of RISPERDAL CONSTA should be considered at the first sign of a clinically significant decline in WBC in the absence of other causative factors.
Patients with clinically significant neutropenia should be carefully monitored for fever or other symptoms or signs of infection and treated promptly if such symptoms or signs occur. Patients with severe neutropenia (absolute neutrophil count < 1 X 109/L) should discontinue RISPERDAL CONSTA and have their WBC followed until recovery.
Tardive Dyskinesia/Extrapyramidal Symptoms (TD/EPS): Drugs with dopamine receptor antagonistic properties have been associated with the induction of tardive dyskinesia characterized by rhythmic involuntary movements, predominantly of the tongue and/or face. It has been reported that the occurrence of extrapyramidal symptoms is a risk factor for the development of tardive dyskinesia. Because risperidone has a lower potential to induce extrapyramidal symptoms than classical neuroleptics, it should have a reduced risk of inducing tardive dyskinesia as compared to classical neuroleptics. If signs and symptoms of tardive dyskinesia appear, the discontinuation of all antipsychotic drugs should be considered.
Extrapyramidal symptoms and psychostimulants: Caution is warranted in patients receiving both psychostimulants (e.g. methylphenidate) and risperidone concomitantly, as extrapyramidal symptoms could emerge when adjusting one or both medications. Gradual withdrawal of one or both treatments should be considered (see Interactions).
Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS): Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome, characterized by hyperthermia, muscle rigidity, autonomic instability, altered consciousness and elevated serum creatine phosphokinase levels, has been reported to occur in association with antipsychotics. Additional signs may include myoglobinuria (rhabdomyolysis) and acute renal failure. In this event, all antipsychotic drugs, including risperidone, should be discontinued. After the last administration of RISPERDAL CONSTA, plasma levels of risperidone are present for up to (a minimum) of 6 weeks.
Parkinson's Disease and Dementia with Lewy Bodies: Physicians should weigh the risks versus the benefits when prescribing antipsychotics, including RISPERDAL CONSTA, to patients with Parkinson's Disease or Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB) since both groups may be at increased risk of Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome as well as having an increased sensitivity to antipsychotic medications. Manifestation of this increased sensitivity can include confusion, obtundation, postural instability with frequent falls, in addition to extrapyramidal symptoms.
Hypersensitivity Reactions: Although tolerability with oral risperidone should be established prior to initiating treatment with RISPERDAL CONSTA, very rare cases of anaphylactic reaction have been reported during postmarketing experience in patients who have previously tolerated oral risperidone. (see Dosage & Administration and Adverse Reactions).
If hypersensitivity reactions occur, discontinue use of RISPERDAL CONSTA; initiate general supportive measures as clinically appropriate and monitor the patient until signs and symptoms resolve. (see Contraindications and Adverse Reactions).
Hyperglycemia and Diabetes Mellitus: Hyperglycemia in some cases extreme and associated with ketoacidosis or hyperosmolar coma or death, has been reported in patients treated with atypical antipsychotics. Assessment of the relationship between atypical antipsychotic use and glucose abnormalities is complicated by the possibility of an increased background risk of diabetes mellitus in patients with schizophrenia and the increasing incidence of diabetes mellitus in the general population. Given these confounders, the relationship between atypical antipsychotic use and hyperglycemia-related adverse events is not completely understood. However, epidemiological studies suggest an increased risk of treatment-emergent hyperglycemia-related adverse events in patients treated with the atypical antipsychotics. Precise risk estimates for hyperglycemia-related adverse events in patients treated with atypical antipsychotics are not available.
Patients with an established diagnosis of diabetes mellitus who are started on atypical antipsychotics should be monitored regularly for worsening of glucose control. Patients with risk factors for diabetes mellitus (e.g. obesity, family history of diabetes) who are starting treatment with atypical antipsychotics should undergo fasting blood glucose testing at the beginning of treatment and periodically during treatment. Any patient treated with atypical antipsychotics should be monitored for symptoms of hyperglycemia including polydipsia, polyuria, polyphagia, and weakness. Patients who develop symptoms of hyperglycemia during treatment with atypical antipsychotics should undergo fasting blood glucose testing. In some cases, hyperglycemia has resolved when the atypical antipsychotic was discontinued; however, some patients required continuation of anti-diabetic treatment despite discontinuation of the suspect drug.
Weight Gain: Significant weight gain has been reported. Monitoring weight gain is advisable when RISPERDAL CONSTA is being used.
QT Interval: As with other antipsychotics, caution should be exercised when RISPERDAL CONSTA is prescribed in patients with a history of cardiac arrhythmias, in patients with congenital long QT syndrome, and in concomitant use with drugs known to prolong the QT interval.
Priapism: Drugs with alpha-adrenergic blocking effects have been reported to induce priapism. Priapism has been reported with RISPERDAL during postmarketing surveillance (see Adverse Reactions).
Body Temperature Regulation: Disruption of the body's ability to reduce core body temperature has been attributed to antipsychotic agents. Appropriate care is advised when prescribing RISPERDAL CONSTA to patients who will be experiencing conditions which may contribute to an elevation in core body temperature, e.g., exercising strenuously, exposure to extreme heat, receiving concomitant medication with anticholinergic activity, or being subject to dehydration.
Antiemetic Effect: An antiemetic effect was observed in preclinical studies with risperidone. This effect, if it occurs in humans, may mask the signs and symptoms of overdosage with certain drugs or of conditions such as intestinal obstruction, Reye's syndrome, and brain tumor.
Seizures: As with other antipsychotic drugs, RISPERDAL CONSTA should be used cautiously in patients with a history of seizures or other conditions that potentially lower the seizure threshold.
Intraoperative Floppy Iris Syndrome: Intraoperative Floppy Iris Syndrome (IFIS) has been observed during cataract surgery in patients treated with medicines with alpha1a-adrenergic antagonist effect, including RISPERDAL CONSTA (see Adverse Reactions).
IFIS may increase the risk of eye complications during and after the operation. Current or past use of medicines with alpha1a-adrenergic antagonist effect should be made known to the ophthalmic surgeon in advance of surgery. The potential benefit of stopping alpha1 blocking therapy prior to cataract surgery has not been established and must be weighed against the risk of stopping the antipsychotic therapy.
Administration: Care must be taken to avoid inadvertent injection of RISPERDAL CONSTA into a blood vessel (see Adverse Reactions - retinal artery occlusion).
Effects on the Ability to Drive or Operate Machinery: Risperidone may interfere with the activities requiring mental alertness. Therefore, patients should be advised not to drive or operate machinery until their individual susceptibility is known.
