risperidone vs tetrabenazine
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Side-by-side comparison of risperidone and tetrabenazine. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
moderate Known Drug Interaction
7.6 Neuroleptic Drugs The risk for Parkinsonism, NMS, and akathisia may be increased by concomitant use of tetrabenazine and dopamine antagonists or antipsychotics (e.g., chlorpromazine, haloperidol, olanzapine, risperidone, thioridazine, ziprasidone) [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.4 , 5.5 , 5.6 )] .
Risperdal
Xenazine
Risperidone is a medicine used to treat certain mental disorders. It can help reduce symptoms like hallucinations, delusions, and aggression.
Tetrabenazine is a medicine used to treat chorea (uncontrollable movements) caused by Huntington's disease. It helps to reduce these movements.
Risperidone is used to treat schizophrenia in adults and teens. It also treats manic or mixed episodes of bipolar I disorder, either alone or with lithium or valproate. Additionally, it can help with irritability, including aggression and self-injury, in children and teens with autism.
Tetrabenazine is used to treat chorea, which are the involuntary, jerky movements that happen with Huntington's disease. Huntington's disease is a brain disorder that affects movement, behavior, and thinking. This medicine can help control the movements caused by this condition.
Risperidone works by changing the levels of certain natural substances in the brain. These substances are called neurotransmitters. By balancing these chemicals, risperidone can reduce symptoms of mental disorders.
Tetrabenazine works by affecting a substance in the brain that moves other chemicals. It lowers the amount of certain chemicals, like dopamine, in the brain. This helps to control the involuntary movements (chorea) caused by Huntington's disease.
- • Parkinsonism (slowed movement, stiffness)
- • Restlessness
- • Muscle stiffness or spasms
- • Tremors
- • Sleepiness
- • Feeling sleepy or drowsy
- • Feeling tired
- • Trouble sleeping
- • Feeling depressed
- • Feeling restless
- Gynaecomastia 24,608
- Abnormal Weight Gain 9,446
- Weight Increased 9,088
- Emotional Disorder 5,947
- Injury 4,623
- Death 1,216
- Depression 474
- Somnolence 451
- Fatigue 360
- Fall 314
Risperidone may increase the risk of death in elderly patients who have dementia-related psychosis. Risperidone is not approved for treating dementia-related psychosis.
Tetrabenazine can increase the risk of depression and suicidal thoughts in people with Huntington's disease. If you have thoughts of harming yourself, tell your doctor right away. You should not take this medicine if you are actively suicidal or have untreated depression.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Babies born to mothers who take risperidone in the last 3 months of pregnancy may have withdrawal symptoms or other problems after birth. There is a pregnancy registry to monitor outcomes in women exposed to risperidone during pregnancy. You can contact the registry at 1-866-961-2388.
This medicine may harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if this medicine passes into breast milk, so talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding.
Also Compare, Nearby Drugs
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How to Read This risperidone vs tetrabenazine Comparison
risperidone is classified in the Atypical Antipsychotic drug class, while tetrabenazine sits within the VMAT2 Inhibitor class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, risperidone has 53,712 submissions while tetrabenazine has 2,815. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known moderate interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to these medications both block dopamine, which can lead to movement disorders like tremors or a life-threatening reaction.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot represent individual circumstances. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This registry does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions for risperidone or tetrabenazine.
Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.