Aripiprazole: What Is It And What Is It For?
Aripiprazole, also known as Abilify , is an atypical antipsychotic drug. It is an effective and well tolerated drug. It is used in patients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and manic episodes.
In Europe, it was approved for the treatment of schizophrenia in 2004. Later, in 2008, the European Medicines Agency -EMEA- also authorized its use in bipolar disorder. In particular, in the case of bipolar I disorder.
It is a different drug within its group. And that makes it more interesting. Here are some of its advantages over other antipsychotics:
- Less frequent sedation
- It does not affect the cognitive function of the patient
- Lower incidence of side effects
- It can be given as an intramuscular injection
- Better treatment compliance
This makes it a widely used drug today. Let’s take a closer look.
What is aripiprazole used for?
Aripiprazole is indicated for the treatment of:
- Schizophrenia in adults and adolescents over 15 years of age
- Manic episodes in patients with bipolar disorder over 13 years of age
When administered orally, it is effective in the treatment of patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. As well as in manic episodes. It works as well in the acute phase as in the maintenance phase. It has also been shown to be effective in preventing relapses. Aripiprazole works on both the positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia:
- Positive symptoms : hallucinations, agitation, altered behavior, etc.
- Negative symptoms : apathy, apathy, depression, lack of interest, etc.
An important novelty of this drug lies in its different forms of administration. They are useful in different situations. In fact, they can be a good alternative for many patients. Thus, intramuscular administration is often used to control agitation in these patients. The sustained-release injectable presentation also has positive results in delaying relapses.
This form of administration improves treatment compliance. It is not necessary to take the medicine by mouth every day; a monthly injection is sufficient. It is also used in conjunction with other medicines for the treatment of depression. For example, in the case of a persistent major depressive disorder. Adding a low-dose aripiprazole enhances the effect of the antidepressant drug.
Some studies indicate that aripiprazole may be helpful in other disorders. For example, in Alzheimer’s disease. On the one hand, it can help relieve mental symptoms. And on the other hand, psychotic symptoms. Another case would be Parkinson’s disease. The onset of psychosis is frequent there. Some studies show improvement with this drug; but in others it is not. Further studies are needed to support its use.
Action mechanism
Aripiprazole is an atypical antipsychotic drug. However, its mechanism of action is different. Most of the drugs in his group are dopamine antagonists. In contrast, aripiprazole exerts a partial agonist action on dopamine D2 receptors.
Thus, the increased neurotransmission of dopamine leads to an increase in its concentration in the brain. And it has a beneficial effect on the positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia.
It also has a partial agonist effect on serotonin 5HT1A. This action is associated with increased effectiveness against:
- Symptoms of depression
- Anxiety
- Cognitive symptoms
- Negative symptoms
In addition, aripiprazole exerts a potent antagonism on the serotonin receptors 5HT2A, 5HT2B and 5HT6. However, it has minimal action on other types of receptors.
Side effects
The most common side effects of aripiprazole treatment are:
- Diabetic sugar
- Insomnia
- Anxiety
- Agitation
- Akathisia (psychomotor agitation)
- Extrapyramidal disorder
- Tremors
- Headache
- Sedation
- Drowsiness
- Dizziness
- Tired
- Nausea, vomiting, etc.
However, the incidence of side effects from this drug is low. Especially when compared to other antipsychotics in your group. It is a well tolerated and safe drug. In fact, its use is supported by several studies.
Treatment with aripiprazole is associated with minimal weight gain. And also to a minimal alteration of metabolic parameters. There is also a low risk of suffering from extrapyramidal symptoms and metabolic syndrome.
Although its profile of negative effects is very favorable, they should not be forgotten. It is important to adjust the dose properly because side effects are more common when they increase. You should start with low doses and increase them gradually.
Our thoughts The role of the family in the treatment of schizophrenia began to gain importance around the 1950s. More details here!
