RISPERIDONE (Page 2 of 11)

2.3 Irritability Associated with Autistic Disorder — Pediatrics (Children and Adolescents)

The dosage of risperidone tablets should be individualized according to the response and tolerability of the patient. The total daily dose of risperidone tablets can be administered once daily, or half the total daily dose can be administered twice daily.

For patients with body weight less than 20 kg, initiate dosing at 0.25 mg per day. For patients with body weight greater than or equal to 20 kg, initiate dosing at 0.5 mg per day. After a minimum of four days, the dose may be increased to the recommended dose of 0.5 mg per day for patients less than 20 kg and 1.0 mg per day for patients greater than or equal to 20 kg. Maintain this dose for a minimum of 14 days. In patients not achieving sufficient clinical response, the dose may be increased at intervals of 2 weeks or greater, in increments of 0.25 mg per day for patients less than 20 kg, or increments of 0.5 mg per day for patients greater than or equal to 20 kg. The effective dose range is 0.5 mg to 3 mg per day. No dosing data are available for children who weigh less than 15 kg.

Once sufficient clinical response has been achieved and maintained, consider gradually lowering the dose to achieve the optimal balance of efficacy and safety. The physician who elects to use risperidone tablets for extended periods should periodically re-evaluate the long-term risks and benefits of the drug for the individual patient.

Patients experiencing persistent somnolence may benefit from a once-daily dose administered at bedtime or administering half the daily dose twice daily, or a reduction of the dose.

2.4 Dosing in Patients with Severe Renal or Hepatic Impairment

For patients with severe renal impairment (CLcr < 30 mL/min) or hepatic impairment (10-15 points on Child Pugh System), the initial starting dose is 0.5 mg twice daily. The dose may be increased in increments of 0.5 mg or less, administered twice daily. For doses above 1.5 mg twice daily, increase in intervals of one week or greater [see Use in Specific Populations (8.6 and 8.7)].

2.5 Dose Adjustments for Specific Drug Interactions

When risperidone tablets are co-administered with enzyme inducers (e.g., carbamazepine), the dose of risperidone tablets should be increased up to double the patient’s usual dose. It may be necessary to decrease the risperidone tablets dose when enzyme inducers such as carbamazepine are discontinued [see Drug Interactions (7.1)]. Similar effect may be expected with co-administration of risperidone tablets with other enzyme inducers (e.g., phenytoin, rifampin, and phenobarbital).

When fluoxetine or paroxetine is co-administered with risperidone tablets, the dose of risperidone tablets should be reduced. The risperidone tablets dose should not exceed 8 mg per day in adults when co-administered with these drugs. When initiating therapy, risperidone tablets should be titrated slowly. It may be necessary to increase the risperidone tablets dose when enzyme inhibitors such as fluoxetine or paroxetine are discontinued [see Drug Interactions (7.1)].

3 DOSAGE FORMS AND STRENGTHS

Risperidone tablets USP are available in the following strengths and colors: 0.25 mg (orange), 0.5 mg (orange), 1 mg (white), 2 mg (yellow), 3 mg (orange), and 4 mg (brown). 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 1 mg and 2 mg are circular shaped. 3 mg are capsule shaped and 4 mg in ovaloid shaped. Risperidone tablets USP are engraved with “RI1”, “RI2”, “RI3”, “RI4”, “RI5” and “RI6” on one side on “0.25”, “0.5”, “1”, “2”, “3” and “4” respectively and plain on other side.

4 CONTRAINDICATIONS

Risperidone tablets are contraindicated in patients with a known hypersensitivity to either risperidone or paliperidone, or to any of the excipients in the risperidone tablets formulation. Hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylactic reactions and angioedema, have been reported in patients treated with risperidone and in patients treated with paliperidone. Paliperidone is a metabolite of risperidone.

5 WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS

5.1 Increased Mortality in Elderly Patients with Dementia-Related Psychosis

Elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis treated with antipsychotic drugs are at an increased risk of death. Analyses of 17 placebo-controlled trials (modal duration of 10 weeks), largely in patients taking atypical antipsychotic drugs, revealed a risk of death in drug-treated patients of between 1.6 to 1.7 times the risk of death in placebo-treated patients. Over the course of a typical 10-week controlled trial, the rate of death in drug-treated patients was about 4.5%, compared to a rate of about 2.6% in the placebo group. Although the causes of death were varied, most of the deaths appeared to be either cardiovascular (e.g., heart failure, sudden death) or infectious (e.g., pneumonia) in nature. Observational studies suggest that, similar to atypical antipsychotic drugs, treatment with conventional antipsychotic drugs may increase mortality. The extent to which the findings of increased mortality in observational studies may be attributed to the antipsychotic drug as opposed to some characteristic(s) of the patients is not clear.

In two of four placebo-controlled trials in elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis, a higher incidence of mortality was observed in patients treated with furosemide plus risperidone tablets when compared to patients treated with risperidone tablets alone or with placebo plus furosemide. No pathological mechanism has been identified to explain this finding, and no consistent pattern for cause of death was observed.

Risperidone tablets are not approved for the treatment of dementia-related psychosis [see Boxed Warning].

5.2 Cerebrovascular Adverse Reactions, Including Stroke, in Elderly Patients with Dementia-Related Psychosis

Cerebrovascular adverse reactions (e.g., stroke, transient ischemic attack), including fatalities, were reported in patients (mean age 85 years; range 73-97) in trials of risperidone in elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis. In placebo-controlled trials, there was a significantly higher incidence of cerebrovascular adverse events in patients treated with risperidone compared to patients treated with placebo. Risperidone tablets are not approved for the treatment of patients with dementia-related psychosis. [see Boxed Warning and Warnings and Precautions (5.1)]

5.3 Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome

Antipsychotic drugs including risperidone tablets can cause a potentially fatal symptom complex referred to as Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS). Clinical manifestations of NMS are include hyperpyrexia, muscle rigidity, altered mental status, and autonomic instability (irregular pulse or blood pressure, tachycardia, diaphoresis, and cardiac dysrhythmia). Additional signs may include elevated creatine phosphokinase (CPK), myoglobinuria, rhabdomyolysis, and acute renal failure.

The diagnostic evaluation of patients with this syndrome is complicated. In arriving at a diagnosis, it is important to identify cases in which the clinical presentation includes both serious medical illness (e.g., pneumonia, systemic infection, etc.) and untreated or inadequately treated extrapyramidal signs and symptoms (EPS). Other important considerations in the differential diagnosis include central anticholinergic toxicity, heat stroke, drug fever, and primary central nervous system pathology.

The management of NMS should include: (1) immediate discontinuation of antipsychotic drugs and other drugs not essential to concurrent therapy; (2) intensive symptomatic treatment and medical monitoring; and (3) treatment of any concomitant serious medical problems for which specific treatments are available. There is no general agreement about specific pharmacological treatment regimens for uncomplicated NMS.

If a patient requires antipsychotic drug treatment after recovery from NMS, the potential reintroduction of drug therapy should be carefully considered. The patient should be carefully monitored, since recurrences of NMS have been reported.

5.4 Tardive Dyskinesia

A syndrome of potentially irreversible, involuntary, dyskinetic movements may develop in patients treated with antipsychotic drugs. The risk of developing tardive dyskinesia and the likelihood that it will become irreversible are believed to increase as the duration of treatment and the total cumulative dose of antipsychotic drugs administered to the patient increase. However, the syndrome can develop, although much less commonly, after relatively brief treatment periods at low doses.

The syndrome may remit, partially or completely, if antipsychotic treatment is withdrawn. Antipsychotic treatment, itself, however, may suppress (or partially suppress) the signs and symptoms of the syndrome and thereby may possibly mask the underlying process. The effect that symptomatic suppression has upon the long-term course of the syndrome is unknown.

Given these considerations, prescribe risperidone tablets in a manner that is most likely to minimize the occurrence of tardive dyskinesia. Chronic antipsychotic treatment should generally be reserved for patients who suffer from a chronic illness that: (1) is known to respond to antipsychotic drugs, and (2) for whom alternative, equally effective, but potentially less harmful treatments are not available or appropriate. In patients who do require chronic treatment, the smallest dose and the shortest duration of treatment producing a satisfactory clinical response should be sought. The need for continued treatment should be reassessed periodically.

If signs and symptoms of tardive dyskinesia appear in a patient treated with risperidone tablets, consider drug discontinuation. However, some patients may require treatment with risperidone tablets despite the presence of the syndrome.

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