Why abilify is used

Second generation antipsychotics SGAs increase the risk of diabetes, weight gain, high cholesterol, and high triglycerides. It is very important to tell your doctor how you feel things are going during the first few weeks after you start taking aripiprazole. It will probably take several weeks to see big enough changes in your symptoms to decide if aripiprazole is the right medication for you. Antipsychotic treatment is generally needed lifelong for persons with schizophrenia.

Your doctor can best discuss the duration of treatment you need based on your symptoms and illness. Both first generation typical and second generation atypical antipsychotics are associated with an increased risk of mortality in elderly patients when used for dementia related psychosis.

Although there were multiple causes of death in studies, most deaths appeared to be due to cardiovascular causes e. Antipsychotics are not indicated for the treatment of dementia-related psychosis. Depression and certain other psychiatric disorders are themselves associated with increases in the risk of suicide. This risk may persist until significant remission occurs. Patients, their families, and caregivers should be alert to the emergence of anxiety, restlessness, irritability, aggressiveness and insomnia.

All patients being treated with this medication for depression should watch for and notify their healthcare provider for worsening symptoms, suicidality and unusual changes in behavior, especially during the first few months of treatment.

Last Updated: January This information is being provided as a community outreach effort of the College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists. This information is for educational and informational purposes only and is not medical advice. This information contains a summary of important points and is not an exhaustive review of information about the medication. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified medical professional with any questions you may have regarding medications or medical conditions.

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Symptoms of schizophrenia include: Hallucinations — imagined voices or images that seem real Delusions — beliefs that are not true e. For this use, Abilify can be given to adults and children ages 10 years and older. Bipolar disorder affects your brain and causes you to have changes in your mood and behavior. With bipolar I disorder, you may have manic episodes. During these episodes, you can feel energetic or extremely irritable. And your thoughts may be racing, making it difficult for you to concentrate.

During mixed episodes, you have manic symptoms and depression symptoms at the same time. Symptoms of depression can include feeling sad or hopeless, or lacking interest in activities that you used to enjoy.

Some people with depression may have suicidal thoughts or behaviors, which are serious and may be life threatening. With mixed episodes, you can have large changes in your mood. In clinical trials , Abilify was effective in treating manic and mixed episodes of bipolar I disorder.

Below, we present some of the results of these studies. Four different studies looked at treatment with Abilify compared with that of a placebo treatment with no active drug. Higher Y-MRS scores indicate worse mania symptoms than lower scores indicate. The studies showed that:.

A clinical trial also compared treatment with Abilify plus either lithium or valproate to that of a placebo plus either lithium or valproate. This trial showed that:.

Abilify is approved to treat schizophrenia in adults and children ages 13 years and older. Many different things can cause schizophrenia.

These include genetics and changes in certain neurotransmitters brain chemicals. Usually, schizophrenia begins to affect people during their teenage or young adult years. Symptoms of schizophrenia vary, but they can include:. In clinical trials, Abilify was effective in treating schizophrenia.

Test scores from this scale range from 30 to These studies showed that:. Abilify is approved to treat irritability related to autism in children ages 6 years and older.

In addition to the uses listed above, Abilify may be prescribed off-label for other uses. And you may wonder if Abilify is used for certain other conditions. Below is information on other possible uses for Abilify.

Anxiety can refer to a range of conditions, which are explained in a bit more detail below. These conditions include:. Some studies have shown that Abilify may be a treatment option for certain people with anxiety. However, in some people, Abilify may actually cause symptoms of anxiety. So Abilify may not be right for everyone with anxiety. With GAD, you may feel restless or irritable.

And you may have trouble falling or staying asleep. This study showed that there may be a benefit from Abilify treatment in people with GAD. You may also have compulsions repetitive actions. For example, obsessions may include being afraid of germs or feeling that things need to be in a certain order.

Examples of compulsions may include constantly cleaning or repeatedly checking to make sure the oven is turned off. These obsessions and compulsions from OCD can cause anxiety. These other treatments may include drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors SSRIs. So for this condition, your doctor may recommend that you take a low dose of Abilify along with an SSRI. And that event may cause flashbacks and nightmares that lead to anxiety.

For example, people with trouble sleeping may be unable to drive or focus on tasks. One study showed that Abilify may help people with sleep disorders to fall asleep more quickly and to sleep better. Another study looked at why Abilify may work for people with sleep disorders. Because Abilify can cause insomnia as a side effect, a dose of the medication during the day may help people stay awake.

And this could cause them to feel tired at night and be able to sleep better. But the drug is being studied for this use. You may also have hyperactivity, which makes you unable to stay still. ADHD may also affect your ability to focus and learn. DMDD causes irritability, moodiness, and temper tantrums. In this study, people took Abilify along with methylphenidate Ritalin, Metadate.

People with psychosis may have trouble figuring out what is real and what is imagined. A review was done to see if Abilify may be a treatment option for people with psychosis. Abilify is still being studied for use in people with psychosis. If you have questions about using Abilify to treat psychosis, talk with your doctor. Abilify is approved for use in children with certain mental health conditions. Below, we describe the use of Abilify for these conditions.

Keep in mind that Abilify may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in children and young adults ages 24 and younger. Because of this risk, Abilify should be used cautiously in people ages 24 and younger. In clinical trials, Abilify was effective in treating schizophrenia in children ages 13 and older. In a study, Abilify treatment was compared with that of a placebo treatment with no active drug.

Test scores from this test range from 30 to Higher scores indicate worse schizophrenia symptoms than lower scores indicate.

The study showed that:. Abilify is approved to treat manic or mixed episodes related to bipolar I disorder in children ages 10 years and older. For this condition, Abilify is approved for use on its own. In clinical trials, Abilify was effective in treating manic and mixed episodes of bipolar I disorder in children. One study looked at Abilify treatment compared with that of a placebo treatment with no active drug.

Test scores from this scale range from 0 to Higher scores indicate worse mania symptoms than lower scores indicate. For this use, Abilify can be prescribed for children ages 6 years and older. Autism symptoms vary across a spectrum. For example, some children with autism are able to function at a very high level, while other children with autism need more care.

Autism is often diagnosed in children around the age of 2 years, when they may be having trouble with development. Specifically, Abilify is used to treat irritability in children with autism. Irritability includes symptoms such as tantrums, injuring yourself, or having aggressive behaviors. Two different studies looked at Abilify treatment compared with that of a placebo treatment with no active drug.

ABC test scores from this scale range from 0 to Higher ABC test scores indicate worse irritability symptoms than lower scores do. It causes involuntary movements and sounds that happen repetitively. These movements and sounds are also called tics. Examples of movement-related tics include repetitive eye blinking or head jerking.

Examples of sound-related tics include those that affect speech, such as repeating things that other people are saying. In some cases, tics can be dangerous. In fact, sometimes tics may cause a person to hurt themselves. It often improves and may even disappear as people age into adulthood. The TTS scale ranges from 0 to Higher TTS scores indicate worse tic symptoms than lower scores indicate. For some of its approved uses, Abilify may be used in combination with other drugs.

However, when treating major depressive disorder MDD , Abilify is always used with other drugs. MDD is also simply called depression. For MDD, Abilify is approved as an adjunct treatment. Adjunct treatments are used in combination with other drugs to treat certain conditions. So as an adjunct treatment for MDD, Abilify is only used with other drugs. Below, we describe some of the drugs that may be used with Abilify. Or your doctor may change your medication regimen altogether. If you have questions about using medications with Abilify, talk with your doctor.

They can recommend an appropriate treatment plan for your condition. Your doctor may prescribe Abilify along with antidepressants to treat your condition. Some examples of antidepressants that may be taken with Abilify include:.

Your doctor may prescribe Abilify along with mood stabilizers to treat your condition. Some examples of mood stabilizers that may be taken with Abilify include:. Your doctor may prescribe Abilify along with stimulants to treat your condition. Some examples of stimulants that may be taken with Abilify include:. Your doctor may prescribe Abilify along with other antipsychotic drugs to treat your condition.

Some examples of other antipsychotics that may be taken with Abilify include:. Other drugs are available that can treat your condition.

Some may be a better fit for you than others. They can tell you about other medications that may work well for you. Note: Some of the drugs listed below are used off-label to treat these specific conditions. This means that Abilify is only used with other drugs for MDD. Examples of other drugs that may be used to treat manic and mixed episodes related to bipolar I disorder include:. Examples of other drugs that may be used to treat schizophrenia include:.

You may wonder how Abilify compares with other medications that are prescribed for similar uses. Here we look at how Abilify and Abilify Maintena are alike and different. Both Abilify and Abilify Maintena contain the same active drug: aripiprazole.

But even though these medications contain the same active drug, they act slightly differently inside your body. Abilify Maintena is approved to treat schizophrenia in adults.

The typical dosage of this drug is mg given once each month. Because Abilify and Abilify Maintena both contain the same active drug, their mild and serious side effects are the same. Also, because Abilify Maintena is an injectable medication, you may have pain at your injection site after receiving a dose of the drug. In some cases, you may actually start out by taking Abilify. Then if your condition responds well to the drug, you may start taking Abilify Maintena instead.

One study looked at people who took Abilify and then transitioned to Abilify Maintena. These people had more benefit in decreasing their schizophrenia symptoms when they switched to Abilify Maintena.

But separate studies have found both Abilify and Abilify Maintena to be effective in treating schizophrenia. According to estimates on GoodRx. The cost also depends on whether you receive doses of either drug from a pharmacy or a medical facility. Abilify and Abilify Maintena are both brand-name drugs. Brand-name medications usually cost more than generics cost. Like Abilify Maintena, discussed above, other medications are also prescribed for similar uses as Abilify is.

Here we look at how Abilify and Rexulti are alike and different. Abilify contains the active drug aripiprazole , while Rexulti contains the active drug brexpiprazole.

Both Abilify and Rexulti are approved to treat schizophrenia. For this use, Abilify can be prescribed for adults and children ages 13 years and older. However, Rexulti is only approved for use in adults. Abilify and Rexulti are also both approved for use in adults as adjunct treatments for major depressive disorder MDD , which is also simply called depression.

Abilify and Rexulti both contain medications that treat schizophrenia and MDD. Therefore, these medications can cause very similar side effects, but some different ones as well. Below are examples of these side effects. These lists contain up to 10 of the most common mild side effects that can occur with Abilify, with Rexulti, or with both drugs when taken individually. These lists contain examples of serious side effects that can occur with Abilify, with Rexulti, or with both drugs when taken individually.

And these medications can also each be used in combination with other drugs to treat MDD. The use of Abilify and Rexulti in treating schizophrenia has been directly compared in a clinical study. Abilify and Rexulti are both brand-name drugs.

There is currently a generic form of Abilify, called aripiprazole. Brand-name medications usually cost more than generics. Like Rexulti, discussed above, other medications are prescribed for similar uses as Abilify is. Here we look at how Abilify and Latuda are alike and different. Abilify contains the active drug aripiprazole , while Latuda contains the active drug lurasidone. Both Abilify and Latuda are approved to treat schizophrenia in adults and children ages 13 years and older.

Abilify and Latuda both contain drugs to treat schizophrenia. These lists contain up to 10 of the most common mild side effects that can occur with Abilify, with Latuda, or with both drugs when taken individually. These lists contain examples of serious side effects that can occur with Abilify, with Latuda, or with both drugs when taken individually. But separate studies have found both Abilify and Latuda to be effective in treating schizophrenia.

Abilify and Latuda are both brand-name drugs. Controlled substances are more likely than other medications to cause dependence. With dependence, your body needs the drug in order to feel normal. Abilify may cause dependence because it affects hormones inside your brain. And once your body adjusts to the changes caused by Abilify, you may become dependent on the drug. However, keep in mind that dependence of Abilify has not been studied in humans.

Because this medication may cause dependence and withdrawal symptoms, your doctor may recommend a different medication for you that has a lower risk of these complications.

His symptoms included dizziness, nausea, anxiety, and muscle twitches. He also had insomnia trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. But keep in mind that this case only involved one person.

If you have questions about withdrawal symptoms from Abilify, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. With tapering, your doctor will slowly decrease your dose of the drug so that your body can adjust to the lower dose over time. Tapering off of Abilify can help decrease your risk of withdrawal symptoms. Keep in mind that the lowest dose that Abilify tablets are made in is 2 mg. Abilify affects the levels of two brain chemicals called dopamine and serotonin.

Serotonin is important in controlling your mood and behavior. Dopamine is important in regulating how you think and feel.

And Abilify is approved to treat each of these conditions. Abilify may work to treat certain mental health conditions by balancing dopamine and serotonin levels. They can recommend whether you need medical attention. Yes, sometimes Abilify is used off-label to treat anxiety. And if you have questions about whether Abilify may be helpful in treating your anxiety, talk with your doctor. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines. Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur.

Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Using this medicine with any of the following is usually not recommended, but may be unavoidable in some cases.

If used together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use this medicine, or give you special instructions about the use of food, alcohol, or tobacco. The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:. Take this medicine exactly as directed by your doctor. Do not take more of it, do not take it more often, and do not take it for a longer time than your doctor ordered.

To do so may increase the chance of side effects. This medicine should come with a Medication Guide. Read and follow the instructions carefully. Ask your doctor if you have any questions. If you are using the orally disintegrating tablet, make sure your hands are dry before you handle the tablet.

Do not open the blister pack that contains the tablet until you are ready to take it. Remove the tablet from the blister pack by peeling back the foil, then taking the tablet out. Do not push the tablet through the foil.

Do not break or split the tablet. Place the tablet in your mouth. It should melt quickly. After the tablet has melted, you may swallow or take a sip of water. Follow your doctor's instructions on how to use the medicine.

Aripiprazole may be taken with or without food. If your doctor tells you to take it a certain way, follow your doctor's instructions.

The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine.

If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so. The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.

If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses. Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light.

Keep from freezing. It is very important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits to allow for changes in your dose and to make sure this medicine is working properly. Blood and urine tests may be needed to check for any unwanted effects.

For some patients, this medicine can increase thoughts of suicide.