From the Research
A gradual tapering schedule for risperidone is recommended to minimize withdrawal symptoms and risk of relapse, with a reduction of approximately 25% every 2-4 weeks, as seen in the general approach to tapering psychiatric medications 1. For patients on stable doses, the tapering schedule should be individualized based on the patient's clinical response, duration of treatment, and current dose. Some key points to consider when tapering risperidone include:
- Reducing the dose by approximately 25% every 2-4 weeks, for example, if taking 4mg daily, decrease to 3mg daily for 2-4 weeks, then 2mg daily for 2-4 weeks, then 1mg daily for 2-4 weeks, then 0.5mg daily for 2-4 weeks before stopping completely.
- Monitoring patients closely during this process for signs of withdrawal (anxiety, insomnia, nausea, dizziness) or symptom recurrence.
- Considering slower tapering for patients who have been on risperidone long-term or at higher doses. This gradual approach is important because abrupt discontinuation of antipsychotics like risperidone can lead to withdrawal symptoms due to neurochemical adaptations that occur during treatment, particularly involving dopamine and serotonin systems, as noted in the context of psychiatric medication tapering 2. It's also worth noting that the optimal dosing and tapering strategies for risperidone may vary depending on individual patient factors, such as age, diagnosis, and medical history, as discussed in earlier studies on risperidone dosing 3, 4, 5.