Invega vs Risperdal – detailed comparison:
Invega
It is the brand name of a drug called paliperidone which belongs to a group of drugs called atypical antipsychotics.
Mechanism of Action
This medication works by changing the activity of certain natural substances in the brain.
It is produced by Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc, a pharmaceutical company with the headquarters in Beerse, Belgium. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration first approved it in 2006.
Uses
This prescription medication is used for the treatment of schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder.
Dosage
The usual recommended dose is 6 mg, administered once daily. Dose increases above 6 mg per day should be made only after clinical reassessment and should occur at intervals of more than 5 days. The maximum recommended dose is 12 mg/day.
Side Effects
Common side effects may include:
- shaking;
- drowsiness;
- neck stiffness;
- feeling restless;
- fast heart rate;
- problems with balance or walking;
- anxiety;
- weight gain;
- uncontrolled muscle movements.
Rare side effects may include:
- changes in menstrual periods;
- a feeling like you might pass out;
- penis erection that is painful or lasts 4 hours or longer;
- thoughts about hurting yourself;
- nipple discharge;
- unexplained weight gain;
- pounding heartbeats;
- breast swelling;
- very stiff (rigid) muscles;
- impotence;
- fruity breath odor;
- sudden weakness or ill feeling;
- trouble breathing;
- increased urination;
- increased thirst.
Precautions
Before taking this atypical antipsychotic, tell your healthcare provider if you have:
- an intestinal disorder;
- long QT syndrome;
- kidney disease;
- low white blood cell counts;
- heart rhythm disorder;
- liver disease;
- epilepsy;
- heart attack;
- seizures ;
- fainting spells;
- heart disease;
- breast cancer;
- high or low blood pressure;
- a serious neurologic disorder caused by taking an antipsychotic drug;
- suicidal thoughts;
- diabetes;
- an electrolyte imbalance.
Alcohol
Avoid drinking alcoholic beverages while taking this atypical antipsychotic since alcohol use can substantially increase the risk of severe side effects.
Drug Interactions
It may negatively interact with other medications, especially:
- gabapentin;
- Abilify (aripiprazole);
- levothyroxine;
- benztropine;
- lorazepam;
- clonazepam;
- Pristiq (desvenlafaxine);
- Cogentin (benztropine);
- Risperdal (risperidone);
- Cymbalta (duloxetine);
- Seroquel (quetiapine);
- Effexor (venlafaxine);
- Xanax (alprazolam);
- Klonopin (clonazepam);
- Zyprexa (olanzapine);
- Lamictal (lamotrigine);
- trazodone;
- Lisinopril;
- Prozac (fluoxetine);
- Pepto Bismol;
- lithium;
- propranolol;
- metformin.
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
This atypical antipsychotic passes into breast milk and may harm a breastfeeding infant. Do not breastfeed an infant while taking this medication.
It is not known whether this atypical antipsychotic can harm an unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant, before taking this medication.
Risperdal
It is the brand name of a drug called risperidone which belongs to a group of drugs called atypical antipsychotics.
Mechanism of Action
This medication works by changing the activity of natural substances in the brain.
It is produced by Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc, a pharmaceutical company with the headquarters in Beerse, Belgium. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration first approved it in 2002.
Uses
This prescription medication is used to treat schizophrenia, behavioral symptoms associated with autism, and manic or mixed episodes associated with Bipolar I Disorder.
Dosage
The usual initial recommended dose is 2 mg orally per day. The dose may be increased in increments of 1 to 2 mg per day at an interval of 24 hours or more, as tolerated.
The usual maintenance recommended dose is 2 to 8 mg orally a day. The maximum dose is 16 mg orally a day
Side Effects
Common side effects may include:
- restless feeling;
- headache;
- depressed mood;
- feeling tired;
- constipation;
- drowsiness;
- anxiety;
- dizziness;
- sore throat;
- agitation;
- uncontrollable muscle movements;
- weight gain;
- sneezing;
- diarrhea;
- upset stomach.
Rare side effects may include:
- very stiff (rigid) muscles;
- uncontrolled muscle movements in your face;
- a feeling like you might pass out;
- sudden weakness or ill feeling;
- blurred vision;
- fast or uneven heartbeats;
- fruity breath odor;
- missed menstrual periods;
- penis erection that is painful or lasts 4 hours or longer;
- nipple discharge;
- increased urination;
- breast swelling or tenderness;
- increased thirst;
- purple or red pinpoint spots under your skin.
Precautions
Before taking this atypical antipsychotic, tell your healthcare provider if you have:
- kidney disease;
- stroke or heart attack;
- low white blood cell counts;
- heart rhythm problems;
- liver disease;
- seizures;
- high blood pressure;
- breast cancer;
- heart disease;
- diabetes;
- trouble swallowing;
- low bone mineral density;
- if you are dehydrated;
- Parkinson’s disease.
Alcohol
Avoid drinking alcoholic beverages while taking this atypical antipsychotic since alcohol use can substantially increase the risk of severe side effects.
Drug Interactions
It may negatively interact with other medications, especially:
- Diazepam;
- Abilify (aripiprazole);
- fluoxetine;
- aripiprazole;
- gabapentin;
- Ativan (lorazepam);
- Klonopin (clonazepam);
- Benadryl (diphenhydramine);
- Lyrica (pregabalin);
- citalopram;
- ProAir HFA (albuterol);
- Cymbalta (duloxetine);
- Prozac (fluoxetine);
- Depakote (divalproex sodium);
- tramadol;
- hydroxyzine;
- Xanax (alprazolam);
- Lamictal (lamotrigine);
- Zoloft (sertraline);
- Lexapro (escitalopram);
- trazodone;
- lorazepam;
- Seroquel (quetiapine);
- quetiapine;
- oxycodone.
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
It is not known whether this atypical antipsychotic can harm an unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant, before taking this medication.
This atypical antipsychotic passes into breast milk and may harm a breastfeeding infant. Do not breastfeed an infant while taking this medication.
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Bottom Line – Invega vs Risperdal
Invega (active ingredient – paliperidone) is an antipsychotic medicine that is s used to treat schizophrenia in adults and teenagers who are at least 12 years old. This medication works by changing the effects of chemicals in the brain.
Risperdal (active ingredient – risperidone) is an antipsychotic medicine that is used to treat symptoms of bipolar disorder in adults and children who are at least 10 years old and schizophrenia in adults and children who are at least 13 years old. This medication works by changing the effects of chemicals in the brain.
According to a 2015 study, the presence of a hydroxyl group in the paliperidone molecule confers increased hydrophilicity to this medication compared with risperidone. This contributes to differential effects on protein expression, mitochondrial movement, and phosphorylation.
Regarding their price, the average retail price for 30 tablets of Invega 6mg is $1,160, while the average retail price for 30 tablets of Risperdal 1mg is $330.
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References https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2656329/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25938474 https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/paliperidone