Aripiprazole (Systemic)

Brand Names : Abilify

Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of using the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your healthcare professional will make. For aripiprazole, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your healthcare professional if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to aripiprazole. Also tell your healthcare professional and pharmacist if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy - Studies with aripiprazole have not been done in pregnant women. Some unwanted effects have been reported in animal studies, but the risk to human babies is not clear. Before taking this medicine, make sure your healthcare professional knows if you are pregnant or if you may become pregnant.

Breast-feeding - It is not known whether aripiprazole passes into human breast milk. This medicine does pass into the milk of rats. Aripiprazole is not recommended during breast-feeding, because it may cause unwanted effects in nursing babies.

Children - Studies on this medicine have only been done in adult patients, and there is no specific information comparing the use of aripiprazole in children with use in other age groups.

Older adults - Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults or if they cause different side effects or problems in older people. There is no specific information comparing the use of aripiprazole in the elderly with use in other age groups. Older patients with swallowing problems may be at risk for side effects.

Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your healthcare professional may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking aripiprazole, it is especially important that your healthcare professional and pharmacist know if you are using any of the following:

• Alcohol - May increase the side effects of aripiprazole

• Antihypertensive medications with alpha₁ -adrenergic receptor antagonism (Doxazosin [e.g., Cardura], Prazosin [e.g., Minipress], Terazosin [e.g., Hytrin]) - These medicines may increase the chance of hypotension (unusually low blood pressure)

• Carbamazepine (e.g., Tegretol) or
• Other agents that induce CYP3A4 - These medicines may cause there to be less aripiprazole in your body

• Central nervous system (CNS) stimulation (medicines that wake you up) or
• Central nervous system (CNS) depression (medicines that cause drowsiness) - Using these medicines at the same time as aripiprazole should be done with caution and may increase side effects of aripiprazole

• CYP3A4 inhibitors such as
• Itraconazole (e.g., Sporanox)
• Ketoconazole (e.g., Nizoral) - These medicines may cause increased blood levels of aripiprazole

• CYP2D6 inhibitors including
• Fluoxetine (e.g., Prozac) or
• Paroxetine (e.g., Paxil) or
• Quinidine (e.g., Quinaglute) - These medicines may cause increased blood levels of aripiprazole

• Medications with anticholinergic activity (medicines used to dry up a runny nose, some medicines for depression, or some medicines for abdominal or stomach spasms or cramps) - These medicines may cause your body temperature to rise (heat stroke).

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of aripiprazole. Make sure you tell your healthcare professional if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Alcohol or drug abuse or dependence, history of - This medicine may make these conditions worse

• Alzheimer's dementia or
• Conditions that lower the seizure threshold or
• Seizures, history of - Seizures may increase

• Aspiration pneumonia, risk or history of - may increase risk of adverse events

• Blood Vessel disease or
• Conduction abnormalities or
• Dehydration or
• Heart disease or
• Heart failure or
• Hypovolemia (decrease in the volume of blood) or
• Ischemic heart disease, history of or
• Myocardial Infarction (heart attack), history of - The risk of hypotension (abnormally low blood pressure) is increased

• Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS), history of - May cause condition to worsen