Risperidone Uses

Risperidone is an antipsychotic medicine that is used to treat schizophrenia (a psychiatric disorder characterized by disturbed thinking and unusual emotions). It is also used to treat manic or mixed manic/depressive episodes in bipolar individuals (this is a psychiatric disorder characterized by alternating manic (abnormally excited) and depressive episodes). Risperidone may be prescribed to children with irritability related to an autistic disorder (a condition in which there are repetitive behaviors, communication problems, difficulties relating to others, and mood changes).

There may be other uses of risperidone—your pharmacist or doctor can give you further drug information.

Risperidone Mechanism of Action

Risperidone works by changing the activity of certain natural substances called neurotransmitters in the central nervous system.

Risperidone Doses

Risperidone is available as a 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 1 mg, 2 mg, 3 mg, and 4 mg tablet and orally disintegrating tablet. It is also available as a 1 mg/mL oral solution. 

The usual dose of risperidone is as follows:

Schizophrenia: The initial dose is 2 mg/day in adults, which is slowly increased by 1-2 mg daily to a target dose of 4-8 mg/day. The maximum dose in adults is 16 mg/day. In adolescents with schizophrenia, the initial dose of risperidone is 0.5 mg/day. The dose is slowly increased by 0.5-1 mg daily to a target dose of 3 mg/day. The maximum dose in adolescents is 6 mg/day.

Bipolar disorder: The initial dose is 2-3 mg/day in adults. This is slowly increased by 1 mg daily to a target dose of 1-6 mg/day. The maximum dose in adults is 6 mg/day for manic episodes associated with bipolar. In bipolar children and adolescents, the initial dose of risperidone is 0.5 mg/day. This is slowly increased by 0.5-1 mg daily to a target dose of 2.5 mg/day. The maximum dose in children is 6 mg/day.

Autistic disorder: The initial dose of risperidone for irritability related to autism in children is 0.25 mg/day (for children weighing less than 20 kg) and 0.5 mg/day (for children weighing over 20 kg). The dose is increased by 0.25-0.5 mg every 2 weeks to a target dose of 0.5 mg/day (for children with a body weight under 20 kg) and 1 mg/day (for children with a body weight over 20 kg). The maximum dose of risperidone in children with autism is 3 mg/day.