Aripiprazole injection

Generic name: Aripiprazole (injection)
Drug class: Atypical antipsychotics

Usage of Aripiprazole injection

Abilify Maintena and Abilify Asimtufii are used in adults to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

Aristada is used in adults to treat schizophrenia.

Aristada Initio is used together with oral aripiprazole to start or restart Aristada.

Aripiprazole may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Aripiprazole injection side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives, difficult breathing, swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

High doses or long-term use of aripiprazole can cause a serious movement disorder that may not be reversible. The longer you use aripiprazole, the more likely you are to develop this disorder, especially if you are a woman or an older adult.

You may have increased sexual urges, unusual urges to gamble, or other intense urges while using aripiprazole. Talk with your doctor if this occurs.

Aripiprazole may cause serious side effects. Call your doctor at once if you have:

uncontrolled muscle movements in your face (chewing, lip smacking, frowning, tongue movement, blinking or eye movement);

feeling unusually hot or cold;

trouble swallowing;

a seizure;

feeling like you might pass out (even while lying down);

severe nervous system reaction--very stiff (rigid) muscles, high fever, sweating, confusion, fast or uneven heartbeats, tremors, feeling like you might pass out;

low blood cell counts--fever, chills, tiredness, mouth sores, skin sores, easy bruising, unusual bleeding, pale skin, cold hands and feet, feeling light-headed or short of breath;

signs of infection--fever, chills, sore throat, body aches, unusual tiredness, loss of appetite, bruising or bleeding; or

high blood sugar--increased thirst, increased urination, dry mouth, fruity breath odor.

Common side effects of aripiprazole may include:

feeling restless;

pain where the medicine was injected;

weight gain; or

drowsiness.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Before taking Aripiprazole injection

You should not be treated with aripiprazole if you are allergic to it.

Tell your doctor if you have never taken aripiprazole.

Aripiprazole may increase the risk of death in older adults with dementia-related psychosis and is not approved for this use.

Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had:

a problem in receiving an injection in the arm or buttocks;

heart disease, a heart attack or stroke;

high or low blood pressure;

high blood sugar, diabetes (in you or family member);

a seizure;

high cholesterol or triglycerides;

dehydration; or

low white blood cell (WBC) counts.

Using antipsychotic medicine in the last 3 months of pregnancy may cause serious problems in the newborn. Tell your doctor right away if you get pregnant. Do not stop the medicine without your doctor's advice.

If you are pregnant, your name may be listed on a pregnancy registry to track the effects of aripiprazole on the baby.

Ask a doctor if it is safe to breastfeed while using aripiprazole.

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How to use Aripiprazole injection

If you already use other antipsychotic medication, you may need to keep using it for a short time. Do not change your dose or dosing schedule without your doctor's advice.

If you have never used aripiprazole, you may need to take aripiprazole by mouth (in tablet or liquid form) before you receive your first injection.

You may need to continue taking aripiprazole by mouth for up to 3 weeks after your first injection. Follow your doctor's dosing instructions very carefully.

Aripiprazole is injected into a muscle. A healthcare provider will give you this injection once every 4 to 8 weeks. Your doctor may occasionally change your dose and dosing schedule.

Your blood sugar will need to be checked on a regular basis, and you may need other medical tests.

Warnings

Aripiprazole is not approved for use in older adults with dementia-related psychosis.

What other drugs will affect Aripiprazole injection

Sometimes it is not safe to use certain medicines at the same time. Some drugs can affect your blood levels of other drugs you use, which may increase side effects or make the medicines less effective.

Tell your doctor about all your current medicines. Many drugs can affect aripiprazole, especially:

blood pressure medications;

a benzodiazepine sedative like Valium, Klonopin, or Xanax;

bronchodilator asthma medication;

cold or allergy medicine (Benadryl and others);

medicine to treat overactive bladder;

medicine to treat Parkinson's disease; or

medicine to treat stomach problems, motion sickness, or irritable bowel syndrome.

This list is not complete and many other drugs may affect aripiprazole. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible drug interactions are listed here.

Popular FAQ

Aripiprazole is one of those medications that can cause sleepiness in some people and insomnia (an inability to get to sleep) in others. Aripiprazole should be preferably taken in the morning, especially if it keeps you awake at night. Research also suggests taking it at night may antagonize D2 dopamine receptors and disrupt 24h rhythms in insulin release, possibly exacerbating metabolic dysfunction. Continue reading

Although Abilify (aripiprazole) has been found to cause less weight gain than other atypical antipsychotics, there is evidence that in certain people it can cause significant weight gain and it may be more likely to cause weight gain in people who are taking it for depression alongside other antidepressants. Side effects such as weight gain may be significant enough for some people to discontinue Abilify, even when it is working well to manage symptoms. Continue reading

Abilify (aripiprazole) and Vraylar (cariprazine) are both classified as atypical antipsychotic medications. They help treat mental health conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder (also known as manic-depression) and as additive treatment for major depressive disorder. These medicines work by changing the actions of chemicals in the brain to help stabilize your thoughts, actions and moods. Continue reading

The main differences between Abilify and Abilify Maintena are how they are supplied, how they are administered, their FDA-approved uses and their costs. They both contain the active ingredient aripiprazole, an atypical antipsychotic, and are approved for the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Continue reading

The oral tablet formulation Abilify MyCite (aripiprazole) is embedded with the ingestible Proteus sensor that allows patients, and, if given access, doctors and caregivers, to track ingestion of the Abilify medication on a smartphone or web-based portal. The system sends a message from the pill’s sensor to a wearable patch on the patient, which then transmits to the device. Continue reading

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