Risperdal

What are you looking for?

Risperdal

Although Johnson & Johnson's Risperdal is only approved for use for schizophrenia, it is commonly used to control behavioral disorders associated with dementia and Alzheimer's disease, such as delusions, aggression and anxiety. Two clinical trials have found that elderly patients taking Risperdal may be at risk for stroke.

Risperdal Side Effects

Risperdal, known generically as risperidone, is an atypical antipsychotic agent and is used for the treatment of schizophrenia in adults and in adolescents aged 13-17 years; alone or in combination with lithium or valproate for the short-term treatment of acute manic or mixed episodes associated with Bipolar I Disorder in adults and alone in children and adolescents aged 10 to 17 years; and irritability associated with autistic disorder in children and adolescents aged 5 to 16 years.

Risperdal carries a warning stating that older adults with dementia who take antipsychotic medications may have an increased risk of death, stroke or mini-stroke during treatment.

The antipsychotic has also reportedly been linked to an increased risk of young males developing breast tissue (a condition known as gynecomastia). The problem is allegedly caused by the elevation of prolactin, a hormone involved in lactation, that can be increased in patients who take Risperdal. The medication carries a warning about the risk, but some doctors have called on the FDA to strengthen the warning. According to reports, two boys had mastectomies to decrease their breast tissue after taking Risperdal.

Risperdal has also been linked to Diabetes, increasing a patient's chances of developing diabetes by about 50 percent compared with older antipsychotics.

A study conducted by the Department of Veterans Affairs and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that Risperdal may be no more effective than a placebo at treating veteran PTSD. Researchers found that five percent of veterans with PTSD who were given Risperdal and five percent who were given a placebo reported a fully recovery. Meanwhile, between 10 percent and 20 percent of both groups reported some improvement of their condition. The group that was given Risperdal, however, was reportedly more likely to suffer side effects including weight gain.

Drug Companies still Peddling Risperdal and Zyprexa for Off-Label Use

Risperdal Legal Help

If you or a loved one has suffered a stroke while taking Risperdal, please click the link below to send your complaint to a lawyer for a free case evaluation.

Please click here for a free evaluation of your Risperdal case

Last updated on Nov-29-11

RISPERDAL ARTICLES AND INTERVIEWS

Risperdal Lawsuits a Complicated Lot

Bridgewater, NJ: Events surrounding a host of Risperdal lawsuits percolate with alleged conflict, wrongdoing and opportunism that is thought to have cost various states millions of dollars in unnecessary expenditures toward the acquisition of an expensive drug alleged to be no more effective than older and less-expensive products. And it's not over yet. Not by a long shot [READ MORE]

Don't Mess with Louisiana's MAPIL Law

Opelousas, LA: It took the jury a little more than three hours to decide that Ortho-McNeil-Janssen and its parent company Johnson & Johnson had sent out false and misleading information about the anti-psychotic drug Risperdal. The jury set monetary damages at $257 million. "It is one of the largest verdicts in the St. Landry Parish and one of the largest in Louisiana in a case such as this," says attorney Patrick Morrow who handled the case on behalf of the state [READ MORE]

Arkansas Attorney General Files Lawsuit Against Janssen LP and Janssen Pharmaceutica, Inc.

Little Rock, AR: Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel filed a lawsuit in Pulaski County Circuit Court, against Janssen LP, Janssen Pharmaceutica, Inc. and Johnson & Johnson Inc. (Johnson & Johnson is the parent company of both Janssen Pharmaceutica and Janssen LP) [READ MORE]