Antipsychotic

Aripiprazole has FDA-approved

indications for the treatment of
adults with schizophrenia, acute manic and mixed
episodes associated with bipolar I disorder, and for main-
taining efficacy in patients with bipolar I disorder with
recent manic or mixed episodes who had been stabilized
and then maintained for at least 6 weeks. The safety and
efficacy of aripiprazole has not been established in pedi-
atric patients (younger than 18).
The most common side
effects associated with aripiprazole include headache,
weakness, fever, nausea, vomiting, constipation, anxiety,
insomnia, lightheadedness, somnolence, a sense of rest-
lessness, tremor, rhinitis, coughing, rash and blurred
vision.
Elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis treated
with atypical antipsychotic drugs are at an increased risk
of death compared to placebo. In placebo-controlled clini-
cal studies of dementia-related psychosis, there was an
increased incidence of cerebrovascular adverse events
(e.g., stroke, transient ischemic attack), including fatali-
ties, in elderly aripiprazole-treated patients. Aripiprazole is
not approved for the treatment of patients with dementia-
related psychosis.
Aripiprazole and other antipsychotic medications have
been associated in rare cases with neuroleptic malignant
syndrome (NMS), a potentially fatal, but treatable, condi-
tion. Symptoms of NMS may include excessive activity,
muscle rigidity, altered mental status and fever.
A syndrome of abnormal involuntary movements of the
mouth, tongue and extremities which are potentially irre-
versible, called tardive dyskinesia (TD), has also devel-
Aripiprazole
(generic)
YOUR MEDI CATI ON I NFORMATI ON
CLASSIFICATION:
COMMON USAGE:
IMPORTANT SIDE EFFECTS:
oped in some patients taking antipsychotic medications,
usually later in treatment.
Patients who are taking atypical antipsychotic drugs who
have diabetes or who have a higher chance for diabetes
should have their blood sugar checked often.
If you are planning to become pregnant, are pregnant or
are a nursing mother, the potential benefits of this drug
must be weighed against the possible hazards. It is not
known whether aripiprazole or its metabolites are excreted
in human milk. It is recommended that women receiving
aripiprazole should not breast-feed. Discuss these issues in
advance with all of your health care providers.
This is not a complete list of all known or potential
adverse effects. Notify your prescriber or pharmacist of
any symptoms that have started since you began taking
this medication, changing its dose, or adding or changing
other medication or diet. Take care when performing any
task (for example, driving or operating machinery) that
requires your attention until you have experience with this
drug and are confident you can perform the task safely.
Ketoconazole (Nizoral) may increase the levels of arip-
iprazole in the blood stream, and the dose of aripiprazole
should be decreased when the two medications are taken
together. Quinidine (Quinidex) may increase the levels of
aripiprazole in the blood stream, and the dose of aripipra-
zole should be decreased when the two medications are
taken together. Carbamazepine (Epitol, Tegretol) may
decrease the levels of aripiprazole in the blood stream, and
the dose of aripiprazole should be reduced when carba-
mazepine is discontinued.
This is not a complete list of all known or potential drug
interactions. To help prevent problems, always make sure
ABILIFY
(BRAND)
INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER MEDICATIONS:
CONTINUED ON BACK > > >
that your pharmacist and all prescribers know about all
medications you are taking, including over-the-counter
drugs; dietary herbal supplements; folk or home remedies;
or unusual foods, drinks, or dietary habits.
The recommended starting
dose of aripiprazole in adults is 10 or 15 mg/day taken
once daily. Dosage increases should not be made earlier
than two weeks after starting aripiprazole. Doses above 15
mg/day have not been shown to be more effective than
doses of 10 or 15 mg/day.
Aripiprazole is available as Abilify
in 2-, 5-, 10-, 15-, 20- and 30-mg tablets. The 2-mg tablets
are green, modified rectangular tablets, debossed on one
side with A-006 on one side and 2 on the other. The 5-mg
tablets are blue, modified rectangular tablets, debossed
with A-007 on one side and 5 on the other. The 10-mg
tablets are pink, modified rectangular and debossed with
A-008 on one side and 10 on the other. The 15-mg tablets
Note: These guidelines are for general information only and are not intended to recommend specific treatment.
For more specific information, consult your physician or pharmacist. Subscribers are permitted to photocopy
multiple copies for patients and colleagues who would benefit from the material. Not for resale or mass distribution.
are yellow, round and debossed with A-009 on one side
and 15 on the other. The 20-mg tablets are white, round
and debossed with A-010 on one side and 20 on the other.
The 30-mg tablets are pink, round and debossed with A-
011 on one side and 30 on the other.
Abilify is also available as a 1 mg/mL oral solution with
an orange flavor, supplied in a 150-mL child-resistant bot-
tle with a calibrated oral dosage cup.
Store the tablets at normal room tempera-
ture (59 F to 86 F) in a tightly closed, light- and mois-
ture-resistant container. Store the oral solution in a refrig-
erator (36F to 46 F). Open bottles of Ability solution
should be refrigerated and can be used for up to 6 months.
Keep the medication out of direct sunlight and avoid stor-
ing it in a warm or humid area, such as the bathroom or
kitchen to prevent deterioration. To prevent accidental poi-
soning, keep all medications out of the reach of children.
Do not take an expired medication. Do not transfer med-
ication from one container to another. Carefully discard
discontinued medication where children cannot find it.
STORAGE:
COMMON DOSAGES:
IDENTIFICATION: