Hi,
Firstly, I am not a clinician and have no medical training, I'm merely someone who lives with a dad with Alzheimer's who has been on Risperidone, and have done extensive research into this drug. I am always careful to use well-respected and trusted sites for my information.
My dad was placed on a very low dose of Risperidone about 6 months ago. He was having some very difficult and distressing outbursts daily, wanting to get "home", he was in his home of 40 years with my mum. He would stomp about saying he knew Mum was stopping him from leaving and on occasion managed to get outside and down the busy street. This was no mean feat for a man with trouble walking and virtually blind. As well as being dangerous, Mum would get very upset, naturally, and felt like living with a time bomb, you never knew when it might explode.
Our geriatrician decided the Risperidone could ease his anxiety, usually the thing that triggers these emotional outbursts. it is a newer class of anti-psychotic and claims to have fewer problems and dangers than the older class. of drug. After about 2 months this did settle, and he was calmer and easier to manage. But I am aware of, and convinced that he also had much less mobility, he was walking with a dreadful shuffle, and was very unsteady on his feet. His appetite has also decreased dramatically, and he seemed to be very constipated. I encouraged Mum to take him off it now and see if he had gone past the difficult behaviours. He is walking a little better, no longer constipated, and eating much better. He has been off it for 3 weeks, and there has not been a return of the awful outbursts, yet.
It has been linked to stroke, and increased falls, sometimes Parkinson's type tremors or movements. I am also aware that Dementia causes a general and gradual decline in appetite, walking and regularity. But I really feel these things came on rapidly after starting the drug, a little too soon for it to be normal decline.
This medication only eases anxiety and calms people down, and sometimes has the opposite effect on some. It can do nothing to improve cognition or memory. There are other classes of specific dementia drugs which may assist with some associated symptoms, and may slow down the progress of the disease.
Hope this helps, it's good to be as aware as possible with reliable information, and remember, I am only speaking from personal experience.
Stephanie