Abilify 15mg overview
Abilify is the trade name for aripiprazole, which is a newish antipsychotic. The medicine is widely used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Compared with other antipsychotics, Abilify 15mg is quite well tolerated, which is the most important factor when you are choosing an antipsychotic. The medicine is able to reduce the QT interval of the electrocardiogram, which shows almost complete absence of adverse effects in the circulatory system. Aripiprazole practically has no effect on muscarinic receptors, so it does not cause cholinergic side effects and cognitive impairment.
Indications
Abilify 15mg is assigned to treat acute episodes of schizophrenia, acute manic episodes of bipolar I disorder and for maintenance therapy in patients with moderate or severe depression (as an addition to antidepressants) or patients with bipolar I disorder, who have had a manic or mixed episode lately. The medicine is also effective in the complex therapy during alcoholism treatment.
How Abilify 15mg works?
Aripiprazole is a partial agonist at the 5-NT1A receptors and an antagonist of the 5-NT2A receptors, which provides the anxiolytic and antidepressant effects of the medicine.
After a single oral administration, the medicine is rapidly absorbed. Cmax is reached after 3-5 hours. The absolute bioavailability is 87%. Abilify 15mg bioavailability is independent of food intake. The equilibrium concentration is reached after 14 days. 18% of the same dose of the drug is excreted with feces, less than 1% is excreted with the urine.
Contraindications and precautions
If you have a known hypersensitivity to any component of the medicine, in any case, do not take it. The medicine should not be used in patients under 18 years.
Abilify 15mg is not recommended to use during lactation or if you are pregnant. The medicine does not require dose adjustment for elderly patients, patients with renal and hepatic impairment. Use with caution in patients with cerebrovascular disorders!
Adverse effects and the dosage
If you get any allergic reactions (especially anaphylaxis, laryngospasm or angioedema) you should immediately call an ambulance. If you have any adverse effects, you should tell your doctor. The medicine belongs to a relatively safe class of drugs, but it has some side effects. These adverse effects include anorexia, weight loss, sickness, vomiting, dyspnea, dyspepsia, hemorrhoids, muscle cramps, muscular weakness, insomnia, somnolence, dizziness, depression, suicidal thoughts, confusion, nervousness, mania, pneumonia, conjunctivitis, candidiasis, stomatitis, flu-like symptoms, and incontinence.
The dosage is established by your doctor. The usual dose is 10-15 mg (1 Abilify 15mg coated tablet) per day and it is independent of food intake. If necessary, the dose is increased to 20-30 mg per day.
Overdose symptoms are vomiting, nausea, tachycardia, diarrhea, fatigue, drowsiness, and loss of consciousness. In case of overdose, patients should take the activated charcoal in a single dose of 50 g within the first hour. If you have any symptoms of overdose, tell your doctor about them.
