Risperidone for the Treatment of Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia

Risperidone offers physicians the unique combination of extensive, published clinical experienceand a good safety profile for treating patients with dementia who have symptoms of aggression, agitation,and psychosis. Numerous open-label and, more recently, placebo-controlled trials have documentedthe efficacy of risperidone in the management of behavioral and psychological symptoms ofdementia. These trials also show that risperidone is better tolerated than conventional neurolepticagents. Comparatively, patients treated with risperidone experience substantially fewer side effects,including extrapyramidal symptoms, cognitive toxicity, and tardive dyskinesia.