Risperdal Side Effects
In April 2005, the FDA ordered the manufacturers of Risperdal and other atypical antipsychotic medications to add a “black-box” warning to their labels to alert consumers about an increased risk of death in elderly patients with dementia who took these drugs.
Risperdal has not been approved by the FDA to treat patients with dementia-related psychosis, and this is one reason for the many Risperdal lawsuits that have been filed.
Studies of atypical antipsychotics revealed that those taking Risperdal or similar drugs were 1.6 times more likely to die than those given a placebo. The most common cause of death was either cardiovascular conditions such as heart failure or infectious diseases like pneumonia.
Diabetes and hyperglycemia
Risperdal and other atypical antipsychotics can trigger an enzyme in the body which may dramatically increase appetite. Studies have shown that patients taking Risperdal are twice as likely to suffer extreme weight gain while taking the drug as patients who were given a placebo.
A study by the VA Connecticut Healthcare System found that 30% of patients who were given an atypical antipsychotic like Risperdal developed hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar.
The risk of extreme weight gain and hyperglycemia associated with Risperdal places patients in danger of eventually developing diabetes. Although the FDA has long been aware of the hundreds of patients who developed diabetes after using atypical antipsychotic drugs like Risperdal, it did not force companies to warn the patients of this risk until April 2003.
Strokes and cardiovascular problems
Clinical trials revealed that patients are at an increased risk of stroke, transient ischemic attack or other cerebrovascular adverse events when taking Risperdal. At least 16 deaths from stroke among patients taking Risperdal had been identified at the time this warning was issued.
Separate studies comparing the side effects of Risperdal with a placebo found that patients taking the drug were three times as likely to suffer high blood pressure and twice as likely to experience an irregular heartbeat.
Tardive dyskinesia and neuroleptic malignant syndrome
Patients taking Risperdal may develop a condition known as tardive dyskinesia. Users who experience this condition may experience slow, jerky and incontrollable muscle movements.
Another dangerous side effect of Risperdal is a nervous system condition called neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS). Symptoms of this condition include fever, muscle stiffness, sweating, rapid or irregular heartbeat and changes in blood pressure. Because NMS can affect the kidneys, patients who experience this condition could be at an increased risk of kidney failure.
Risperdal has also been linked with a type of involuntary movement called extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS). Symptoms of EPS include stiffness of the muscles, tremors and restlessness. Although EPS can be extremely debilitating, it usually subsides when a person stops taking atypical antipsychotics like Risperdal.