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Long-acting risperidone: a review of its role in the treatment of bipolar disorder

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Abstract

Bipolar disorder is a multidimensional illness typified by fluctuating periods of depression and mania, cognitive dysfunction, abnormal circadian rhythms, and multiple comorbid psychiatric and general medical conditions. Indefinite pharmacological treatment is often required, yet the modest effects of available treatments and frequent difficulties with tolerability and adherence present complex challenges to patients. Long-acting injectable medications offer a therapeutic alternative to oral mood stabilizers and may help facilitate long-term treatment adherence. This article will provide a succinct review of the latest data on the use of long-acting injectable risperidone (LAR) during the maintenance-phase treatment of bipolar disorder. The specific role of LAR in comparison to other atypical antipsychotics, and the limitations of available studies will be discussed from the perspectives of efficacy, tolerability, and sequential positioning in treatment guidelines.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mood & Metabolic Clinic, Case Western Reserve University, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, 10524 Euclid Avenue, 12th Floor, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA

    David E. Kemp

  2. Duzce University Medical School, Duzce, Turkey

    Fatih Canan

  3. Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

    Benjamin I. Goldstein

  4. Mood Disorders Psychopharmacology Unit, University Health Network, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Pharmacology, University of Toronto, Toronto, USA

    Roger S. McIntyre

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  1. David E. Kemp
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  2. Fatih Canan
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  4. Roger S. McIntyre
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Correspondence to David E. Kemp.

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Kemp, D.E., Canan, F., Goldstein, B.I. et al. Long-acting risperidone: a review of its role in the treatment of bipolar disorder. Adv Therapy 26, 588–599 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12325-009-0039-0

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