Update on the Use of Risperidone for the Treatment Of Youth With Schizophrenia and ipolar Disorder

done has been used clinically since its original approval in December 1993 for the treatment of schizophrenia. On August 22, 2007, it also became the first SGA to receive approval from the FDA for the treatment of schizophrenia in adolescents ages 13–17 and for the short-term treatment of manic or mixed episodes of bipolar I disorder in children and adolescents ages 10–17. This makes it the first SGA approved for these populations. In addition, it is indicated for bipolar mania and schizophrenia in adults, as well as for irritability associated with autism in children and adolescents 5–16 years of age. Risperidone is prescribed in the United States as a first-line treatment for adults and children with schizophrenia and bipolar disorders. As with most medications that serve as treatment options for children with major mental illnesses, clinicians must carefully weigh the risks and benefits. To help guide them, this review summarizes the efficacy, effectiveness, and safety data for risperidone in children and adolescents with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. The review used the publication databases of PubMed, EMBASE, and Psych Abstracts, and publicly available clinical trial information from the FDA Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER). The terms of search included “risperidone,” “risperidone and adolescent,” “risperidone and pediatric,” “risperidone and bipolar,” and “risperidone and schizophrenia” for studies of children and adolescents with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia.