Abilify (aripiprazole): Bipolar Drug Side Effects (Weight Gain) & Dosage

What is Abilify, and how does it work (mechanism of action)?

Abilify (aripiprazole) is an anti-psychotic
medicine used for the medical treatment of psychotic conditions and disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
It also is used with other medications for the treatment of major depression in adults.

The exact mechanism of action of Abilify is unknown. However, like other anti-psychotics, it blocks receptors on nerves
in the brain for several neurotransmitters (chemicals that nerves use to communicate with each other). It is thought that its beneficial effect is due to its effects on dopamine and serotonin receptors. Its effects on these receptors are complex, involving stimulation of the receptors but to a lesser degree than the naturally-occurring neurotransmitters (a process called partial agonism).

Is this medication available as a generic drug?

Yes, this medication is available in generic form.

What are the uses for Abilify?

Aripiprazole is used for the treatment of:

• Schizophrenia
• Bipolar disorder
• Irritability associated with autistic disorder
• Tourette’s disorder
• Major
  depression in adults (along with other medications used for the treatment of
  depression)
• Mixed
  manic/depressive episodes (as sole or adjunctive therapy) and as adjunctive (add-on) therapy for major depressive disorder
• Agitation associated with
  schizophrenia or
  bipolar mania.

Abilify warnings, side effects, and
patient safety information

WARNINGS

• Long-term use of aripiprazole may lead to a potentially irreversible condition called tardive dyskinesia (involuntary movements of the jaw, lips, and tongue).
• A potentially fatal complex referred to as neuroleptic
  malignant syndrome has been reported with anti-psychotic
  drugs, including Abilify. Patients who develop this syndrome may have:
  • High fevers
  • Muscle rigidity
  • Altered mental status
  • Irregular pulse or
    blood pressure
  • Rapid heart rate
  • Excessive sweating
  • Heart arrhythmias
• All atypical antipsychotic drugs have been associated with metabolic changes such as
  hyperglycemia,
  diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, and weight gain. Serious cases of hyperglycemia leading to
  coma or death have been reported in patients treated with atypical antipsychotics. Although there is no clear link between
  aripiprazole and
  diabetes, patients should be tested during treatment for elevated blood-sugars. Additionally,
  patients with risk factors for
  diabetes, including
  obesity or a family history of
  diabetes, should have their fasting levels of blood
  sugar tested before starting treatment and periodically throughout treatment to detect the onset of diabetes. Any patient developing symptoms that suggest diabetes during
  medical treatment should be tested for diabetes.
• Elderly patients with
  dementia-related psychosis treated with antipsychotics are at an increased risk of death and Abilify should not be used for this indication.
  Antidepressants increased the risk of
  suicidal thinking and behavior in short-term studies in children and adolescents with
  depression and other psychiatric disorders. Anyone considering the use of
  this medicine or any other
  antidepressant in a child or adolescent must balance this risk of
  suicide with the clinical need. Patients who are started on
  medical therapy should be closely observed for clinical worsening,
  suicidal thoughts, or unusual changes in behavior.

Some of the most common side effects include:

• Anxiety
• Blurred vision
• Constipation
• Cough
• Headache
• Insomnia
• Lightheadedness
• Nausea
• Rash
• Restlessness
• Runny nose
• Sleepiness
• Tremors
• Vomiting
• Weakness
• Weight gain

What is the dosage for Abilify?

• This dose for this medication usually is once a day.
• The usual adult starting oral dose for patients with schizophrenia or
  bipolar disorder is 10 to 15 mg once daily. The dose may be increased over time up to 30 mg daily to achieve the desired effect.
• The recommended dose for patients with Tourette’s disorder is 5 to 20 mg once daily.

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Abilify drug, food (grapefruit juice), and
supplement interactions

• Carbamazepine
  (Tegretol)
  can markedly decrease the amount of Abilify in the body by increasing the rate
  at which the body's enzymes (particularly the
  liver enzyme, CYP3A4) degrade it. The manufacturer recommends that patients
  on this drug who are started on carbamazepine double their dose of Abilify, under
  their doctor's supervision. Other drugs that can promote the activity of CYP3A4
  and decrease the body's levels of Abilify are
  phenytoin (Dilantin),
  rifampin (Rifadin,
  Rimactane,
  Rifadin,

  Rifater,

  Rifamate), and phenobarbital.

• Ketoconazole
  (Nizoral) can
  increase the amount of aripiprazole in the body by blocking CYP3A4. The
  manufacturer of aripiprazole recommends reducing the dose of aripiprazole by
  one-half during ketoconazole therapy. Many other drugs also are known to block
  CYP3A4 and potentially could increase the levels of aripiprazole, but their
  actual effects on aripiprazole levels have not been studied. Such drugs include:
  • itraconazole
    (Sporanox)
  • fluconazole (Diflucan)
  • voriconazole (Vfend)
  • cimetidine (Tagamet)
  • verapamil (Calan,
    Isoptin)
  • diltiazem (Cardizem,
    Dilacor)
  • erythromycin
    clarithromycin (Biaxin)
  • nefazodone (Serzone)
  • ritonavir (Norvir)
  • saquinavir (Invirase)
  • nelfinavir (Viracept)
  • indinavir (Crixivan)
  • Grapefruit juice
• Quinidine (Quinaglute,
  Quinidex) inhibits another liver enzyme known as CYP2D6 that also breaks down
  aripiprazole and can increase the amount of aripiprazole in the body. The
  manufacturer of aripiprazole recommends reducing the dose of aripiprazole by
  one-half during quinidine therapy. Other medicines that block CYP2D6 include
  fluoxetine (Prozac)
  and paroxetine (Paxil).
• Alpha-1 receptor blockers [doxazosin (Cardura),
  prazosin (Minipress),
  terazosin (Hytrin)],
  used for control of blood pressure and prostatic enlargement, may increase the
  chance of
  hypotension (unusually
  low blood pressure).

List of brand names available for aripiprazole

Abilify, Abilify Maintena, and Aristrada are the brand names available for apriprazole in the US.

Depression is a(n) __________ .
See Answer

Is this drug safe to take if I’m pregnant or breastfeeding my baby?

• Aripiprazole has not been adequately studied during pregnancy. Neonates exposed to antipsychotic drugs in the
  third trimester may experience withdrawal symptoms and other side effects. Your doctor or other healthcare
  provider may choose to use
  this medication if he or she feels that its benefits outweigh this potential concern.
• It is not known if this medicine is excreted in
  breast milk; however, since most medicines are excreted in breast milk, doctors
  and other health care professionals recommend that women should not breastfeed their infant/baby while taking
  this drug.

What else should I know about this drug?

• Preparations of this medicine include:
  • Tablets in doses of 2, 5 10, 15, 20, and 30 mg.
  • Disintegrating tablets in doses of 10 and 15 mg.
  • Oral solution dose of 1 mg/mL
  • Injection solution dosages of 9.75 mg/1.3 ml (7.5 mg/ml)
  • Extended Release Injection, Abilify Maintana, in doses of 300 or 400 mg/vial
  • Extended Release Prefilled Syringe, Aristrada), in doses of 441,
    662, and 882 mg.
• Tablets, oral solution, and injection should be stored at room temperature, 15 C to 30 C (59 F to 86 F).
• The FDA approved aripiprazole in November 2002.