A RISK-BENEFIT ASSESSMENT OF RISPERIDONE IN SCHIZOPHRENIA

The atypical antipsychotic risperidone combines dopaminergic and serot onergic antagonism. This results in a drug that is both clinically eff ective, reducing positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia, and has a low incidence of adverse effects. At a dosage of 4 to 8 mg/day, risperidone is comparable to 10 mg/day of haloperidol. This dosage has a low incidence of extrapyramidal adverse effects and is nonsedative, although it may cause orthostatic hypotension. There is no current ev idence for specific biochemical and haematological abnormalities assoc iated with risperidone. Although the clinical benefits appear to outwe igh the risks, this drug continues to be a relatively expensive treatm ent option in the UK. There is therefore a need for a formal cost-util ity assessment of risperidone and for comparisons between this drug an d other atypical neuroleptics.