Abilify

Abilify (aripiprazole) is a neuroleptic medication used to treat a variety of disorders. It is one of the most commonly prescribed mood stabilizers out there, in all age groups. In teens it is most commonly used to help treat:

• Depression

• Mood swings

• Irritability

• Violent outbursts

• Anxiety

• OCD

• Impulsivity

• Aggression

  
  

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It is officially FDA approved for the following conditions

• Schizophrenia ages 13 and up

• Bipolar Mania

• Bipolar Maintenance

• Adjunctive treatment for depression

• Autism related irritability in children 6 and up

• Tourette’s Disorder

• Injection for agitation in SCZ or BAD

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It is also used off-label for the following conditions (will help, the company that makes abilify just did not seek FDA approval for these conditions)

• Bipolar depression

• Other psychotic disorders

• Behavioral disturbances in children, adolescents, and in dementias

• Disorders assocaited with problems with impulse control

• Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (adjunct to SSRI)

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Dosing:

Its dose range is anywhere from 2mg to 40mg per day, although in children & teens it rarely goes above 15mg per day.

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Main side effects to watch for include the following:

• Akathisia (restlessness)

• Sedation/tiredness or insomnia (differs person to person)

• Dizziness

• Constipation

• (rare and dose dependent side effects): Extrapyramidal movement symptoms (acute dyskinesias and dystonic reactions), tardive dyskinesia (reduced risk compared to other meds in this class), Parkinsonism, akinesia, akathisia, and neuroleptic malignant syndrome).

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Clinical Pearls:

*Well accepted in clinical practice when wanting to avoid weight gain because less weight gain than most other antipsychotics

*Has a very favorable tolerability profile in clinical practice

*relative lack of sedation or cognitive side effects in most patients

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Written by:

Joseph Gagnon Jr.