Risperdal Consta Dosage

Generic name: RISPERIDONE 12.5mg in 2mL;
Dosage form: injection
Drug class: Atypical antipsychotics

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Feb 8, 2024.

For patients who have never taken oral RISPERDAL ®, it is recommended to establish tolerability with oral RISPERDAL ®prior to initiating treatment with RISPERDAL CONSTA ®.

RISPERDAL CONSTA ®should be administered every 2 weeks by deep intramuscular (IM) deltoid or gluteal injection. Each injection should be administered by a health care professional using the appropriate enclosed safety needle [see Dosage and Administration (2.8)] . For deltoid administration, use the 1-inch needle alternating injections between the two arms. For gluteal administration, use the 2-inch needle alternating injections between the two buttocks. Do not administer intravenously.

Schizophrenia

The recommended dose for the treatment of schizophrenia is 25 mg IM every 2 weeks. Although dose response for effectiveness has not been established for RISPERDAL CONSTA ®, some patients not responding to 25 mg may benefit from a higher dose of 37.5 mg or 50 mg. The maximum dose should not exceed 50 mg RISPERDAL CONSTA ®every 2 weeks. No additional benefit was observed with dosages greater than 50 mg RISPERDAL CONSTA ®; however, a higher incidence of adverse effects was observed.

The efficacy of RISPERDAL CONSTA ®in the treatment of schizophrenia has not been evaluated in controlled clinical trials for longer than 12 weeks. Although controlled studies have not been conducted to answer the question of how long patients with schizophrenia should be treated with RISPERDAL CONSTA ®, oral risperidone has been shown to be effective in delaying time to relapse in longer-term use. It is recommended that responding patients be continued on treatment with RISPERDAL CONSTA ®at the lowest dose needed. The physician who elects to use RISPERDAL CONSTA ®for extended periods should periodically re-evaluate the long-term risks and benefits of the drug for the individual patient.

Bipolar Disorder

The recommended dose for monotherapy or adjunctive therapy to lithium or valproate for the maintenance treatment of Bipolar I Disorder is 25 mg IM every 2 weeks. Some patients may benefit from a higher dose of 37.5 mg or 50 mg. Dosages above 50 mg have not been studied in this population. The physician who elects to use RISPERDAL CONSTA ®for extended periods should periodically re-evaluate the long-term risks and benefits of the drug for the individual patient.

General Dosing Information

A lower initial dose of 12.5 mg may be appropriate when clinical factors warrant dose adjustment, such as in patients with hepatic or renal impairment, for certain drug interactions that increase risperidone plasma concentrations [see Drug Interactions (7.11)] or in patients who have a history of poor tolerability to psychotropic medications. The efficacy of the 12.5 mg dose has not been investigated in clinical trials.

Oral RISPERDAL ®(or another antipsychotic medication) should be given with the first injection of RISPERDAL CONSTA ®and continued for 3 weeks (and then discontinued) to ensure that adequate therapeutic plasma concentrations are maintained prior to the main release phase of risperidone from the injection site [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)] .

Upward dose adjustment should not be made more frequently than every 4 weeks. The clinical effects of this dose adjustment should not be anticipated earlier than 3 weeks after the first injection with the higher dose.

In patients with clinical factors such as hepatic or renal impairment or certain drug interactions that increase risperidone plasma concentrations [see Drug Interactions (7.11)] , dose reduction as low as 12.5 mg may be appropriate. The efficacy of the 12.5 mg dose has not been investigated in clinical trials.

Do not combine two different dose strengths of RISPERDAL CONSTA ®in a single administration.

Dosage in Special Populations

Elderly

For elderly patients treated with RISPERDAL CONSTA ®, the recommended dosage is 25 mg IM every 2 weeks. Oral RISPERDAL ®(or another antipsychotic medication) should be given with the first injection of RISPERDAL CONSTA ®and should be continued for 3 weeks to ensure that adequate therapeutic plasma concentrations are maintained prior to the main release phase of risperidone from the injection site [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)] .

Renal or Hepatic Impairment

Patients with renal or hepatic impairment should be treated with titrated doses of oral RISPERDAL ®prior to initiating treatment with RISPERDAL CONSTA ®. The recommended starting dose is 0.5 mg oral RISPERDAL ®twice daily during the first week, which can be increased to 1 mg twice daily or 2 mg once daily during the second week. If a total daily dose of at least 2 mg oral RISPERDAL ®is well tolerated, an injection of 25 mg RISPERDAL CONSTA ®can be administered every 2 weeks. Oral supplementation should be continued for 3 weeks after the first injection until the main release of risperidone from the injection site has begun. In some patients, slower titration may be medically appropriate. Alternatively, a starting dose of RISPERDAL CONSTA ®of 12.5 mg may be appropriate. The efficacy of the 12.5 mg dose has not been investigated in clinical trials.

Patients with renal impairment may have less ability to eliminate risperidone than normal adults. Patients with impaired hepatic function may have an increase in the free fraction of the risperidone, possibly resulting in an enhanced effect [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)] . Elderly patients and patients with a predisposition to hypotensive reactions or for whom such reactions would pose a particular risk should be instructed in nonpharmacologic interventions that help to reduce the occurrence of orthostatic hypotension (e.g., sitting on the edge of the bed for several minutes before attempting to stand in the morning and slowly rising from a seated position). These patients should avoid sodium depletion or dehydration, and circumstances that accentuate hypotension (alcohol intake, high ambient temperature, etc.). Monitoring of orthostatic vital signs should be considered [see Warnings and Precautions (5.7)] .

Reinitiation of Treatment in Patients Previously Discontinued

There are no data to specifically address reinitiation of treatment. When restarting patients who have had an interval off treatment with RISPERDAL CONSTA ®, supplementation with oral RISPERDAL ®(or another antipsychotic medication) should be administered.

Switching from Other Antipsychotics

There are no systematically collected data to specifically address switching patients from other antipsychotics to RISPERDAL CONSTA ®, or concerning concomitant administration with other antipsychotics. Previous antipsychotics should be continued for 3 weeks after the first injection of RISPERDAL CONSTA ®to ensure that therapeutic concentrations are maintained until the main release phase of risperidone from the injection site has begun [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)] . For patients who have never taken oral RISPERDAL ®, it is recommended to establish tolerability with oral RISPERDAL ®prior to initiating treatment with RISPERDAL CONSTA ®. As recommended with other antipsychotic medications, the need for continuing existing EPS medication should be re-evaluated periodically.

Co-Administration of RISPERDAL CONSTA ®with Certain Other Medications

Co-administration of carbamazepine and other CYP 3A4 enzyme inducers (e.g., phenytoin, rifampin, phenobarbital) with risperidone would be expected to cause decreases in the plasma concentrations of the sum of risperidone and 9-hydroxyrisperidone combined, which could lead to decreased efficacy of RISPERDAL CONSTA ®treatment. The dose of risperidone needs to be titrated accordingly for patients receiving these enzyme inducers, especially during initiation or discontinuation of therapy with these inducers [see Drug Interactions (7.11)] . At the initiation of therapy with carbamazepine or other known CYP 3A4 hepatic enzyme inducers, patients should be closely monitored during the first 4–8 weeks, since the dose of RISPERDAL CONSTA ®may need to be adjusted. A dose increase, or additional oral RISPERDAL ®, may need to be considered. On discontinuation of carbamazepine or other CYP 3A4 hepatic enzyme inducers, the dosage of RISPERDAL CONSTA ®should be re-evaluated and, if necessary, decreased. Patients may be placed on a lower dose of RISPERDAL CONSTA ®between 2 to 4 weeks before the planned discontinuation of carbamazepine or other CYP 3A4 inducers to adjust for the expected increase in plasma concentrations of risperidone plus 9-hydroxyrisperidone. For patients treated with the recommended dose of 25 mg RISPERDAL CONSTA ®and discontinuing from carbamazepine or other CYP3A4 enzyme inducers, it is recommended to continue treatment with the 25-mg dose unless clinical judgment necessitates lowering the RISPERDAL CONSTA ®dose to 12.5 mg or necessitates interruption of RISPERDAL CONSTA ®treatment. The efficacy of the 12.5 mg dose has not been investigated in clinical trials.

Fluoxetine and paroxetine, CYP 2D6 inhibitors, have been shown to increase the plasma concentration of risperidone 2.5–2.8 fold and 3–9 fold respectively. Fluoxetine did not affect the plasma concentration of 9-hydroxyrisperidone. Paroxetine lowered the concentration of 9-hydroxyrisperidone by about 10%. The dose of risperidone needs to be titrated accordingly when fluoxetine or paroxetine is co-administered. When either concomitant fluoxetine or paroxetine is initiated or discontinued, the physician should re-evaluate the dose of RISPERDAL CONSTA ®. When initiation of fluoxetine or paroxetine is considered, patients may be placed on a lower dose of RISPERDAL CONSTA ®between 2 to 4 weeks before the planned start of fluoxetine or paroxetine therapy to adjust for the expected increase in plasma concentrations of risperidone. When fluoxetine or paroxetine is initiated in patients receiving the recommended dose of 25 mg RISPERDAL CONSTA ®, it is recommended to continue treatment with the 25 mg dose unless clinical judgment necessitates lowering the RISPERDAL CONSTA ®dose to 12.5 mg or necessitates interruption of RISPERDAL CONSTA ®treatment. When RISPERDAL CONSTA ®is initiated in patients already receiving fluoxetine or paroxetine, a starting dose of 12.5 mg can be considered. The efficacy of the 12.5 mg dose has not been investigated in clinical trials. The effects of discontinuation of concomitant fluoxetine or paroxetine therapy on the pharmacokinetics of risperidone and 9-hydroxyrisperidone have not been studied. [see Drug Interactions (7.11)] .

Instructions for Use

For deltoid or gluteal intramuscular injection only

IMPORTANT RESOURCES

For additional information, visit www.risperdalconsta.com or call Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. at 1-800-JANSSEN (1-800-526-7736).

Important Information

RISPERDAL CONSTA ®requires close attention to these step-by-step Instructions for Use to help ensure successful administration.

Use components provided

The components in this dose pack are specifically designed for use with RISPERDAL CONSTA ®. RISPERDAL CONSTA ®must be reconstituted only in the diluent supplied in the dose pack.

Do notsubstitute ANY components of the dose pack.

Do not store suspension after reconstitution

Administer dose as soon as possible after reconstitution to avoid settling.

Proper dosing

The entire contents of the vial must be administered to ensure intended dose of RISPERDAL CONSTA ®is delivered.

SINGLE-USE DEVICE

Do not reuse.Medical devices require specific material characteristics to perform as intended. These characteristics have been verified for single use only. Any attempt to re-process the device for subsequent re-use may adversely affect the integrity of the device or lead to deterioration in performance.

Dose pack contents

Step 1 Assemble components
Take out dose pack Connect vial adapter to vial

Wait 30 minutes Remove dose pack from the refrigerator and allow to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutesbefore reconstituting. Do notwarm any other way.	Remove cap from vial Flip off colored cap from vial. Wipe top of the grey stopper with an alcohol swab. Allow to air dry. Do notremove grey rubber stopper.	Prepare vial adapter Hold sterile blister as shown. Peel back and remove paper backing. Do notremove vial adapter from blister. Do nottouch spike tip at any time. This will result in contamination.	Connect vial adapter to vial Place vial on a hard surface and hold by the base. Center vial adapter over the grey rubber stopper. Push vial adapter straight down onto vial top until it snaps securely into place. Do notplace vial adapter on at an angle or diluent may leak upon transfer to the vial.
Connect prefilled syringe to vial adapter

Remove sterile blister Keep vial vertical to prevent leakage. Hold base of vial and pull up on the sterile blister to remove. Do notshake. Do nottouch exposed luer opening on vial adapter. This will result in contamination.	Use proper grip Hold by white collar at the tip of the syringe. Do nothold syringe by the glass barrel during assembly.	Remove cap Holding the white collar, snap off the white cap. Do nottwist or cut off the white cap. Do nottouch syringe tip. This will result in contamination. The broken-off cap can be discarded.	Connect syringe to vial adapter Hold vial adapter by skirt to keep stationary. Hold syringe by white collarthen insert tip into the luer opening of the vial adapter. Do nothold the glass syringe barrel. This may cause the white collar to loosen or detach. Attach the syringe to the vial adapter with a firm clockwise twisting motionuntil it feels snug. Do notover-tighten. Over-tightening may cause the syringe tip to break.

Step 2 Reconstitute microspheres

Inject diluent Inject entire amount of diluent from syringe into the vial.	Suspend microspheres in diluent Continuing to hold down the plunger rod, shake vigorously for at least 10 seconds, as shown. Check the suspension. When properly mixed, the suspension appears uniform, thick and milky in color. Microspheres will be visible in the liquid. Immediately proceed to the next step so suspension does not settle.	Transfer suspension to syringe Invert vial completely. Slowly pull plunger rod down to withdraw entire contents from the vial into the syringe.	Remove vial adapter Hold white collar on the syringe and unscrew from vial adapter. Tear section of the vial label at the perforation. Apply detached label to the syringe for identification purposes. Discard both vial and vial adapter appropriately.

Step 3 Attach needle

Select appropriate needle Choose needle based on injection location (gluteal or deltoid).	Attach needle Peel blister pouch open part way and use to grasp the base of the needle, as shown. Holding the white collar on the syringe, attach syringe to needle luer connection with a firm clockwise twisting motionuntil snug. Do nottouch needle luer opening. This will result in contamination.	Resuspend microspheres Fully remove the blister pouch. Just before injection, shake syringe vigorously again, as some settling will have occurred.

Step 4 Inject dose

Remove transparent needle protector Move the needle safety device back towards the syringe, as shown. Then hold white collar on syringe and carefully pull the transparent needle protector straight off. Do nottwist transparent needle protector, as the luer connection may loosen.	Remove air bubbles Hold needle upright and tap gently to make any air bubbles rise to the top. Slowly and carefully press plunger rod upward to remove air.	Inject Immediately inject entire contents of syringe intramuscularly (IM) into the gluteal or deltoid muscle of the patient. Gluteal injection should be made into the upper-outer quadrant of the gluteal area. Do not administer intravenously.	Secure needle in safety device Using one hand, place needle safety device at a 45-degree angle on a hard, flat surface. Press down with a firm, quick motion until needle is fully engaged in safety device. Avoid needle stick injury: Do notuse two hands. Do notintentionally disengage or mishandle the needle safety device. Do notattempt to straighten the needle or engage the safety device if the needle is bent or damaged.	Properly dispose of needles Check to confirm needle safety device is fully engaged. Discard in an approved sharps container. Also discard the unused needle provided in the dose pack.