What is Abilify?
Abilify (aripiprazole) is a drug that works by affecting chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters.
This drug works as a partial agonist of dopamine and serotonin receptors, thereby helping to regulate the activity of these chemicals in the brain.
Abilify is available in tablet form, oral solution, and dissolvable tablets that dissolve in the mouth.
How to Use Abilify
Abilify medication must be taken according to the doctor’s instructions.
Don’t take more of it, don’t take it more often, and don’t take it for longer than your doctor recommends.
The following is the medically recommended way to use Abilify:
- If you are taking the tablet form, make sure your hands are dry before handling the tablet.
- Do not open the blister package containing the tablets until you are ready to take them.
- Open the foil packaging, then remove the tablet. Do not push the tablet through the foil.
- Do not break or split the tablet.
- Place the tablet in the mouth. This medication should melt quickly. Once the tablet melts, you can swallow or sip water.
- Swallow the tablet whole. Don’t break, crush, or chew them.
Cautions for Using Abilify
There are several things you need to pay attention to when consuming Abilify, namely:
- Visit the care team for regular check-ups on treatment progress.
- Notify the care team if symptoms do not begin to improve or if they worsen. Do not stop drinking unless advised by your medical team.
- Be alert for sudden changes in feelings such as feeling anxious, agitated, panicked, irritable, hostile, aggressive, impulsive, very restless, overly excited hyperactive, or unable to sleep. If this occurs, especially at the start of antidepressant treatment or after a dose change, contact the medical team.
- You may be dizzy or sleepy. Do not drive, use machinery, or do anything that requires mental alertness until you know how this medication affects your health.
- Do not stand or sit quickly, especially if you are an older patient. This reduces the risk of dizziness or fainting. Alcohol may interfere with the effects of this drug. Avoid alcoholic drinks.
- This drug may cause problems controlling body temperature. This can decrease the body’s response to cold temperatures.
- This drug may cause dry eyes and blurred vision. If you wear contact lenses, you may feel uncomfortable. Providing eye lubricant may help.
- This drug can increase blood sugar. Ask your care team if changes in diet or medication are needed if you have diabetes.
Benefits of Abilify
Abilify can be used for the following conditions:
1. Controls symptoms of mania in bipolar disorder
Abilify helps reduce symptoms of mania in people with bipolar disorder, such as excessive excitement, high energy, and impulsive behavior.
This medication helps maintain mood stability and prevent severe episodes of mania.
2. Reduces psychotic symptoms in schizophrenia
Abilify works by reducing psychotic symptoms in schizophrenia sufferers, such as hallucinations (hearing or seeing something that is not real), and delusions (beliefs that are untrue or unreasonable).
This drug helps improve disturbed thought patterns and perceptions in schizophrenia.
3. Additional treatment for major depressive disorder
Abilify may be used as an additional treatment for people with major depressive disorder who do not respond adequately to antidepressants alone.
This medication helps increase the effectiveness of depression treatment and helps reduce symptoms such as persistent feelings of sadness, loss of interest, and changes in appetite.
4. Adjuvant treatment of autism spectrum disorders
Abilify may be used as an adjunct treatment in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders.
This medication helps reduce symptoms of aggressiveness, irritability, and other behavioral disorders associated with autism.
The use of Abilify as part of a comprehensive treatment program can help improve social adaptation and daily functioning in people with autism.
Abilify Dosage
Abilify has maximum doses for some of the conditions it is approved to treat.
The highest dose of Abilify taken daily depends on the health condition and treatment goals.
The following is the Abilify dosage for several health conditions:
- Major depressive disorder in adults: 15 mg once daily.
- Manic episodes and mixed episodes associated with bipolar disorder in adults and children: 30 mg once daily.
- Schizophrenia in adults and children: 30 mg once daily.
- Irritability associated with autism spectrum disorder in children: 15 mg once daily.
- Tourette’s syndrome in children: 10 mg or 20 mg once daily depending on body weight.
Abilify Side Effects
Side effects that may occur after taking Abilify are:
- Allergic reactions, such as skin rash, itching, hives, & swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat.
- High blood sugar (hyperglycemia).
- Increased thirst or amount of urine, unusual weakness or tiredness, blurred vision.
- Neuroleptic malignant syndrome with symptoms of high fever, stiff muscles, excessive sweating, fast or irregular heartbeat, and confusion.
- Low blood pressure, dizziness, feeling faint or dizzy, blurred vision.
- Pain or difficulty swallowing.
- Prolonged or painful erections.
- Seizures
- Stroke, sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arms, or legs, trouble speaking, confusion, trouble walking, loss of balance or coordination, dizziness, severe headache, vision changes.
- Uncontrolled & repetitive body movements, muscle stiffness or spasms, tremors or shaking, loss of balance or coordination, restlessness, shuffling.
- Thoughts of suicide or self-harm, worsening mood, feelings of depression.
The side effects that usually don’t require medical attention are:
- Constipation.
- Sleepy.
- Weight gain.
Abilify Interaction
Do not take abilify medication with any of the following:
- Brexpiprazole.
- Cisapride.
- Dextromethorphan; quinidine.
- Dronedarone.
- Metoclopramide
- Pimozide.
- Thioridazine
This drug may also interact with drugs:
- Antihistamines for allergies, coughs, and colds.
- Carbamazepine.
- Certain medications for anxiety or sleep disorders.
- Certain medications for depression such as amitriptyline, fluoxetine, paroxetine, and sertraline.
- Medicines for fungal infections such as fluconazole, itraconazole, ketoconazole, posaconazole, voriconazole.
- Clarithromycin.
- General anesthetics such as halothane, isoflurane, methoxyflurane, and propofol.
- Levodopa or other drugs for Parkinson’s disease.
- Medicine for blood pressure.
- Medication for seizures.
- Medication that relaxes muscles for surgery.
- Narcotic medication for pain.
- Other drugs that prolong the QT interval (causing abnormal heart rhythms).
- Phenothiazines such as chlorpromazine, and prochlorperazine.
- Rifampicin.
Abilify contraindications
Certain medical conditions or other health factors may increase the risk of interactions with Abilify.
Before using Abilify, talk to your doctor about your medical history.
Health conditions or other factors that may interact with Abilify include:
1. Seizures
The risk for this side effect may be higher if you have had seizures in the past.
Information about seizures and their treatment can be read in Fever Can Cause Seizures, Know These 3 Things.
2. Diabetes
If you have diabetes, taking Abilify can worsen your health condition.
The doctor may increase the dose or add another diabetes medication to the treatment plan.
3. Heart or blood pressure problems
Abilify can cause abnormal heart rhythms. This drug may also cause changes in blood pressure, including orthostatic hypotension.