Risperdal vs. Seroquel

Risperdal (risperidone) and Seroquel (quetiapine) are antipsychotic drugs prescribed to treat schizophrenia.

Risperdal is also used to treat bipolar mania and autism.

Seroquel is also used to treat major depression and bipolar disorder.

Common side effects of Risperdal include:

• extrapyramidal effects (sudden, often jerky, involuntary motions of the head, neck, arms, body, or eyes),
• dizziness,
• tiredness,
• drowsiness,
• fatigue,
• fever,
• weight gain,
• feeling hot or cold,
• headache,
• dry mouth,
• increased appetite,
• restlessness,
• anxiety,
• sleep problems (insomnia),
• nausea,
• vomiting,
• stomach pain,
• constipation,
• cough,
• sore throat,
• runny or stuffy nose,
• or skin rash.

Tell your doctor if you experience serious side effects of Risperdal including difficulty swallowing, muscle spasms, shaking (tremor), mental/mood changes, or signs of infection (such as fever, persistent sore throat).

Common side effects of Seroquel include:

• fever,
• hot flashes,
• sensitivity to heat,
• sweating,
• headache,
• nervousness,
• irritability,
• nausea,
• sleep problems (insomnia),
• changes in appetite or changes in weight,
• changes in menstrual perdiods,
• and temporary hair loss.

Risperdal (risperidone) is an atypical antipsychotic prescribed to treat:

• schizophrenia,
• bipolar mania,
• and autism.

Seroquel is a prescription medicine used to treat:

• schizophrenia in people 13 years of age or older
• bipolar disorder in adults, including:
  • depressive episodes associated with bipolar disorder
  • manic episodes associated with bipolar I disorder alone or with lithium or divalproex
  • long-term treatment of bipolar I disorder with lithium or divalproex
• manic episodes associated with bipolar I disorder in children ages 10 to 17 years old

It is not known if Seroquel is safe and effective in children under 10 years of age.

Risperdal may interact with other medicines that make you sleepy (such as cold or allergy medicine, narcotic pain medicine, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicine for seizures, depression, or anxiety), carbamazepine, fluoxetine, paroxetine, phenytoin, phenobarbital, or rifampin.

Risperdal may also interact with cimetidine, ranitidine, clozapine, valproic acid, or medicines used to treat Parkinson's Disease.

Seroquel may interact with seizure medications.

Seroquel may also interact with other medicines that make you sleepy (cold or allergy medicine, sedatives, narcotics, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicine for seizures, depression, or anxiety), medications to treat high blood pressure or a heart condition, medications to treat Parkinson's disease, steroids, antibiotics, antifungals, anti-malaria medications, heart rhythm medicines, medications to treat HIV or AIDS, migraine headache medicines, or other antidepressant or medicines to treat psychiatric disorders.

Risperdal dose ranges from 0.5 mg to 8mg/day.

Dosing preparations are 25, 50, 100, 200, 300, and 400 mg tablets.

• Take Seroquel exactly as your healthcare provider tells you to take it. Do not change the dose yourself.
• Take Seroquel by mouth, with or without food.
• If you feel you need to stop SEROQUEL, talk with your healthcare provider first. If you suddenly stop taking SEROQUEL, you may have side effects such as trouble sleeping or trouble staying asleep (insomnia), nausea, and vomiting.
• If you miss a dose of SEROQUEL, take it as soon as you remember. If you are close to your next dose, skip the missed dose. Just take the next dose at your regular time. Do not take 2 doses at the same time unless your healthcare provider tells you to. If you are not sure about your dosing, call your healthcare provider.