How is Risperdal different from other antipsychotic medications?
Conventional antipsychotics such as Haldol, Stelazine, and Prolixin have treated positive symptoms in many patients for several years. However, they do not satisfactorily affect the negative symptoms, and they often cause uncomfortable or intolerable side effects. Risperdal is as effective as the conventional medications in treating positive symptoms. It also offers the advantages of helping to treat some of the negative symptoms somewhat and causing fewer extrapyramidal side effects (EPS) such as restlessness, muscle rigidity, and tremor when taken at the manufacturer’s recommended dose of 6 mg per day. Why is Risperdal called a new front-line option? It means that Risperdal could be the first medication prescribed for a person who is newly diagnosed with a psychotic disorder. Some medications, such as clozapine, have side effects that may be inconvenient or difficult to manage. Such medications may be reserved until after other medications have been tried unsuccessfully. Because Risp
