Aripiprazole Ratiopharm
This medicine helps treat mental health conditions like psychosis (seeing or hearing things that aren't real, false beliefs) and mania (feeling overly energetic, restless, needing less sleep). It also helps prevent mania from returning in adults.
Form
tabletti
Strength
15 mg
Active Ingredient
Aripiprazole
Manufacturer
ratiopharm GmbH
How to Use
Dosage
The usual dose for adults is 15 mg once daily. For youth aged 13 and older, the typical dose is 10 mg once daily, but treatment often starts with a lower dose.
Method
Take one tablet whole by mouth with water once a day, at the same time each day. You can take it with or without food. Some tablets (10 mg, 15 mg, 30 mg) can be divided into equal halves.
Important
Do not take more than 30 mg in a single day.
Possible Side Effects
COMMON
- •Diabetes
- •Trouble sleeping
- •Anxiety
- •Restlessness or inability to sit still
- •Uncontrolled jerky or twitching movements
- •Shaking (tremor)
- •Headache
- •Feeling tired or drowsy
- •Dizziness
- •Blurred vision
- •Constipation
- •Indigestion or stomach upset
- •Nausea
- •Increased saliva
- •Vomiting
RARE
- •Changes in blood hormone (prolactin) levels
- •High blood sugar
- •Feeling down (depression)
- •Changed or increased sexual desire
- •Uncontrolled movements of mouth, tongue, or limbs (tardive dyskinesia)
- •Muscle spasms causing twisting movements (dystonia)
- •Restless legs
- •Double vision or light-sensitive eyes
- •Fast heartbeat
- •Feeling dizzy or fainting when standing up
- •Hiccups
- •Low white blood cell or platelet count
- •Allergic reactions (e.g., swelling of mouth, face, or throat, itching, rash)
- •New or worsened diabetes, ketoacidosis (high acid levels in blood), or coma
- •Low blood sodium levels
- •Loss of appetite (anorexia)
- •Weight loss or weight gain
- •Thoughts of harming yourself, suicide attempts, or suicide
- •Aggression or agitation
- •Nervousness
- •Serious reaction with fever, stiff muscles, fast breathing, sweating, confusion, and sudden changes in blood pressure/heart rate (neuroleptic malignant syndrome)
- •Seizures
- •Serotonin syndrome (feeling very happy, drowsy, clumsy, restless, drunk, fever, sweating, or stiff muscles)
- •Speech problems
- •Eyes fixed in one position
- •Sudden death or life-threatening irregular heartbeat
- •Heart attack or slow heart rate
- •Blood clots, especially in the legs (swelling, pain, redness), which can travel to the lungs (chest pain, breathing issues)
- •High blood pressure
- •Fainting
- •Food entering windpipe causing lung infection (aspiration pneumonia)
- •Muscle spasms around vocal cords
- •Inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis)
- •Difficulty swallowing
- •Diarrhea
- •Liver problems (liver failure, hepatitis, yellow skin/eyes, abnormal liver tests)
- •Rash or skin sensitivity to light
- •Hair loss
- •Excessive sweating
- •Severe allergic reaction called DRESS syndrome (flu-like symptoms, widespread rash, fever, swollen lymph nodes, high liver enzymes, increased eosinophils)
- •Breakdown of muscle cells (rhabdomyolysis) leading to kidney problems, muscle pain, stiffness
- •Uncontrolled urination (incontinence) or difficulty urinating
- •Withdrawal symptoms in newborns if medicine used during pregnancy
- •Prolonged or painful erection
- •Problems controlling body temperature (e.g., fever)
- •Chest pain
- •Swelling of hands, ankles, or feet
- •Abnormal blood test results (fluctuating blood sugar, increased HbA1c)
- •Strong urges you can't control, like excessive gambling, changed sexual behavior, excessive buying, binge eating, or wandering.
Important Warnings
- Do not use this medicine if you are allergic to aripiprazole or any other ingredients.
- Tell your doctor immediately if you have thoughts of harming yourself.
- Contact your doctor right away if you experience stiff muscles, high fever, sweating, confusion, or a very fast or irregular heartbeat.
- Tell your doctor before starting treatment if you have high blood sugar, a family history of diabetes, seizures, uncontrolled muscle movements (especially in your face), heart or blood vessel disease, a history of stroke or blood clots, or a history of problem gambling.
- Inform your doctor if you gain weight, develop new movement problems, become very drowsy, have difficulty swallowing, or experience allergic reactions.
Show 7 more warnings
- If you are an older patient with dementia, tell your doctor if you have ever had a stroke or other blood flow problems to the brain.
- Tell your doctor if you or your family notice new urges or behaviors that are unusual or harmful, like excessive gambling, overeating, too much spending, or an increased sex drive.
- This medicine can cause drowsiness, dizziness when standing up, and problems with balance, which might lead to falls. Be careful, especially if you are elderly or frail.
- Do not give this medicine to children under 13 years old.
- Avoid drinking alcohol while taking this medicine.
- If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning a pregnancy, talk to your doctor before using this medicine.
- This medicine may cause dizziness and vision problems, so be careful when driving or operating machines.
Use in Elderly Patients
Category D
Avoid use in older adults. For treatment of psychosis only. Increases risk of falls, extrapyramidal symptoms and cognitive impairment. Increases risk of falls, extrapyramidal symptoms and cognitive impairment. (updated 15.1.2024)