The use of mood stabilizers such as lithium and carbamazepine is known to be effective for preventing and treating bipolar disorder. But the use of antipsychotic drugs is more effective in patients suffering severe episodes of mania as it elicits behavioral changes and spurs the effects of mood stabilizers. Antipsychotic drugs are used for patients who failed to respond to mood stabilizers or for the acute management of manic episodes associated with bipolar disorders.
This study aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of risperidone as an adjunctive therapy to mood stabilizers in the long-term treatment (6months) of bipolar disorder using various assessment instruments, including the Young Mania Rating Scale. The Simpson-Angus Rating Scale will be also employed to assess the presence of extrapyramidal side effects and other adverse events. The patients will receive orally 0.5, 1, 2 mg risperidone tablet once daily for 6 months
