risperidone vs valproate
Side-by-side comparison of risperidone and valproate. 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
Valproate Repeated oral doses of risperidone tablets (4 mg once daily) did not affect the pre-dose or average plasma concentrations and exposure (AUC) of valproate (1000 mg/day in three divided doses) compared to placebo (n=21). However, there was a 20% increase in valproate peak plasma concentration (C max) after concomitant administration of risperidone tablets. Dose adjustment for valproate is not recommended.
Recommendation: A dose adjustment for valproate is not typically required when these drugs are used together.
Risperdal
Depakote, Depakene
Risperidone is a medicine used to treat certain mental disorders. It can help reduce symptoms like hallucinations, delusions, and aggression.
Valproate sodium injection is used when you cannot take valproate pills. It helps control seizures.
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.
This medicine treats certain types of seizures. It can be used alone or with other medicines to treat complex partial seizures. It also treats simple and complex absence seizures, and multiple seizure types that include absence seizures.
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.
Valproate affects the levels of certain chemicals in your brain. These chemicals help to control seizures. This medicine helps to reduce the frequency of seizures.
- • Parkinsonism (slowed movement, stiffness)
- • Restlessness
- • Muscle stiffness or spasms
- • Tremors
- • Sleepiness
- • Headache
- • Dizziness
- • Nausea
- • Pain at the injection site
- Breast enlargement in males 24,608
- Unusual weight gain 9,446
- Weight gain 9,089
- Mental or emotional problem 5,947
- Harm or damage to the body 4,624
- The medicine is interacting with another medicine 1,187
- The baby was exposed to the medicine during pregnancy 1,043
- Sleepiness 951
- Seizures 813
- Harmful effects from different substances 757
Risperidone may increase the risk of death in elderly patients who have dementia-related psychosis. Risperidone is not approved for treating dementia-related psychosis.
Valproate can cause life-threatening liver problems, especially in the first 6 months of treatment. Children under 2 and people with mitochondrial disorders have a higher risk. Valproate can also harm an unborn baby, causing birth defects and lower IQ. It can also cause pancreatitis, which can be fatal.
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.
Valproate can cause serious birth defects if taken during pregnancy. Do not take this medicine if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant unless other medicines don't work for you. There is a pregnancy registry for women who take valproate during pregnancy; call 1-888-233-2334 to enroll.
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How to Read This risperidone vs valproate Comparison
risperidone is classified in the Atypical Antipsychotic drug class, while valproate sits within the Anticonvulsant / Mood Stabilizer 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 53,714 submissions while valproate has 4,751. 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 risperidone can cause the peak amount of valproate in your blood to increase by a small amount.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between risperidone and valproate - always consult your physician or pharmacist first.
Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.