Risperdal Side Effects

Risperdal Side Effects Risperdal is an atypical antipsychotic drug sued to treat conditions such as schizophrenia. It is also one of the most popular prescribed drugs in America today. Lately, many doctors have also noticed that the drug has been effective in treating other mental conditions such as autism and dementia. Over the years, many of the people who took Risperdal began to suffer serious side effects. Side effects such as muscle stiffness, tremors, heart irregularities and blood clots became very common. Some patients even suffered strokes. Since then, Risperdal usage has been linked with the death of 37 patients. Many of the strokes caused by Risperdal occurred in elderly people whose doctor's prescribed the drug to treat senile dementia. While the drug was not designed to specifically treat this condition, it is still encouraged by many pharmaceutical companies to prescribe Risperdal for this non-approved 'off label' usage. This obviously helps boost sales and generate more revenue. In April of 2003, Janssen Pharmaceutica sent out a warning letter informing the public of potential risks regarding the use of the drug on elderly patients.