Risperidone in the management of agitation and aggression associated with psychiatric disorders.
OBJECTIVE
This review provides an overview of the prevalence and treatment of agitation and aggression, and focuses on the use of risperidone to treat these symptoms in patients from different age groups.


METHODS
MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were used to identify controlled studies of risperidone in the treatment of disruptive behavior disorders and pervasive developmental disorders in pediatric patients, acute agitation or aggression in adults, and psychological and behavioral symptoms of dementia in the elderly. Additionally, key open-label, long-term trials assessing the efficacy and safety of risperidone were considered.


RESULTS
The results of the 19 double-blind studies identified showed that risperidone is effective in treating agitation and aggression in the different populations, regardless of age. The safety and tolerability of risperidone appear to be good overall but certain safety issues, such as a higher risk of cerebrovascular adverse events in the elderly with dementia, were highlighted.


CONCLUSIONS
Risperidone is useful for treating aggression and agitation associated with various psychiatric disorders in patients from different age groups.
De Deyn
Peter Paul
PP
Department of Neurology, Middelheim Hospital and Laboratory of Neurochemistry and Behavior, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Born Bunge Foundation, University of Antwerp (UA), Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerp (Wilrijk), Belgium. dedeyn@skynet.be
Buitelaar
Jan
J
D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology*; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019958:Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011595:Psychomotor Agitation / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D018967:Risperidone / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D018967:Risperidone