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Risperdal Side Effects

Risperdal side effects are serious and potentially deadly. The concern with the growing power large pharmaceutical companies have has been a concern because of the influence exercised over safety regulations in pursuit of financial gain instead of patient safety. The worlds second biggest maker of medical products, Johnson & Johnsons Risperdal schizophrenia drug has annual global sales of $2.1 billion. While a J&J spokesperson claimed an update to the Risperdal label is indeed being made, and we will be sending out letters to health care professionals soon, in April 2003, the company had already issued Risperdal warning letters to Canadian doctors and pharmacists six months before announcing Risperdal side effect risks in the U.S.

In October 2002, a Risperdal warning letter was sent to Canadian doctors and pharmacists after the reports of 37 Risperdal stroke or stroke-like events like blood clots and hemorrhages occurred, including 16 Risperdal deaths. The Risperdal warning letter sent to Canadian physicians and pharmacists also noted that two clinical trials of elderly dementia patients in which elderly Risperdal dementia patients had a higher proportion of strokes or related events than patients that had received placebo. Risperdal clinical trials have shown that 4% of Risperdal patients suffered stroke or stroke-related events, opposed to just 2% of people receiving placebos. There were four Risperdal deaths and just on death amongst placebo recipients.

Clinical trials testing Risperdal in Alzheimer patients heightened concerns that the occurrence of serious Risperdal side effects is higher than previously thought. Among the 764 Risperdal study patients, 29 cases of stroke and stroke-related events were seen, in addition to four deaths. A Public Citizen consumer watchdog group pharmacist and research analyst thinks that the recent Risperdal studies should push U.S. regulators to deeper examine if younger aged schizophrenia patients are also more prone to experiencing Risperdal stroke and other side effects of Risperdal.

The use of Risperdal is dangerous not only because of the serious and deadly Risperdal side effects linked to the antipsychotic medication, but because Risperdal may disguise signs and symptoms of other conditions. Risperdal use can cover the presence of Risperdal overdose, intestinal obstruction, brain tumor, and Reyes syndrome. Safety implications have not yet been established for Risperdal use in pregnant women and with children.

Risperdal is considered a new antipsychotic drug that has been approved for adult use but the safety of Risperdal in children has not yet been established. The well-known side effect of antipsychotic drugs like Risperdal can include tardive dyskenisia. Despite the lack of known Risperdal safety indication in children, a growing number of psychiatrists are prescribing the drug to treat conduct disorders. There has been a growing debate in whether or not health professionals are over prescribing psychotropic medications over counseling.

In January 2003, the medical journal Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine reported that the number of children taking psychiatric drugs nationwide has at least doubled in the past decade. The drug Risperdal is a favored prescription medication of child psychiatrists and the report re-ignited the debate of the use of potentially very dangerous medications in children.

Risperdal was part of the national study that looked at many drugs created for psychotic adults. A lead author of the study, Julie Magno Zito, thinks that the results are extremely disturbing because of the little research performed on how the compounds in drugs like Risperdal affect young patients. Zito thinks that a serious research agenda is necessary to reassure mental health professionals and parents that medications like Risperdal are appropriate for children.

The use of Risperdal is connected to the possible cause of Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome, characterized by muscle stiffness, fast or irregular heartbeat, increased sweating, high fever, blood pressure problems, and death if left untreated. Most commonly, Risperdal side effects can include:

Abdominal pain
Abnormal walk
Agitation
Aggression
Anxiety
Chest pain
Constipation
Coughing
Decreased activity
Decreased sexual desires
Diarrhea
Dizziness
Dry skin
Difficulty urinating
Heavy menstruation
Tremor
Vomiting
Weight gain
Lethargic feelings
Dry mouth
Join pain
Lack of coordination
Impotence
Difficulty ejaculating
Involuntary movements
Nasal inflammation
Tremor
Respiratory infection
Sore throat

 

For more information on Risperdal side effects please contact us to confer with a Risperdal lawyer.

Contact a Risperdal Recall Lawyer

More Risperdal Resources

Risperdal Side Effects - Information and recent news on the harmful effects of Risperdal.

Risperdal - Manufacturer's website for this medication for treating psychotic symptoms. Provides information for consumers and health care professionals.

Drug Digest - Information from DrugDigest on dosage, usage, side effects, and interactions of this antipsychotic medication.