Abilify® is an antipsychotic medication used to treat symptoms associated with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, Tourette’s syndrome, major depressive disorder, and autism spectrum disorder. It is a prescription drug available in tablet form, orally-disintegrating tablets, liquid suspension, and injectable. The generic version is sold in the United States under the name aripiprazole.
Question
Some side effects that I have experienced as a result of taking Abilify are excess saliva and slight uncontrollable drooling.
posted on April 26, 2016
Question
I would to receive information regarding Abilify’s effect on my oral health and a possible solution to resolve my discomfort.
Thank you,
posted on April 26, 2016
As with other antipsychotics, Abilify can increase thoughts of suicide in adolescents when they first start taking it, so it is important to pay attention to any troubling signs, such as changes in mood and/or mood swings. Aripiprazole can alter the way you see, think, and react, and can make you very tired. If you recently started taking Abilify, you shouldn’t drive or operate dangerous machinery until you are sure of how it affects you. Other side effects to look out for include feeling lightheaded and/or dizzy, weight gain, difficulty sleeping, nausea, blurred vision, and vomiting. Abilify can cause people to overheat, so those taking the drug should avoid activities that make them sweat a lot and make sure they stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water.
Elderly individuals are more likely to experience side effects, including tardive dyskinesia, confusion, seizures, drowsiness, and difficulty swallowing. This medication should not be used by women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, as it can cause withdrawal in newborns that are exposed prenatally. Babies withdrawing from Abilify can experience breathing difficulties, tremor, agitation, and feeding disorders. Many infants experiencing Abilify withdrawal symptoms need intensive care and a prolonged hospital stay.
Individuals with diabetes mellitus, or those with a family history of diabetes should have their blood checked regularly because taking Abilify can affect glucose levels. People taking Aripiprazole and other antipsychotic drugs should also be monitored for hyperglycemia (high blood sugar).
On May 14, 2009, Andy Behrman, a former spokesman for Abilify and Bristol Myers Squibb, uploaded a video to YouTube where he talks about his personal experience with the drug. Behrman goes on to explain how he experienced all of the side effects listed in the commercials, including stiff muscles, agitation, confusion, and memory loss. He states he discontinued using Abilify so that he wouldn’t experience the most serious side effect of all – death. ( youtube.com)
On March 27, 2008, Otsuka American Pharmaceutical Inc., the American subsidiary of Japan’s Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. had to pay more than $4 million to settle a lawsuit resulting from their illegal, off-label marketing of the drug. According to the FDA, from 2002 to 2005, Bristol-Myers Squibb, co-marketer of Abilify, knowingly promoted its use for the off-label treatment of children and dementia-related psychosis in the elderly. According to the lawsuit, Otsuka contacted pediatric specialists (including child psychologists) and had sales representatives call nursing homes to try to get doctors to prescribe Abilify to their patients. (fda.gov)
On September 31, 2007, Bristol-Myers Squibb and its wholly owned subsidiary, Apothecon, Inc., paid over $515 million in a settlement to resolve civil allegations regarding their drug marketing and pricing practices. More than $25 million from the settlement makes up the disgorgement of profits (repayment of money that was earned illegally) under the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act resulting from Bristol-Myers Squibb’s illegal marketing of Abilify for off-label uses. According to U.S. Attorney R. Alexander Acosta, “Bristol-Myers Squibb, among other wrongdoing, fraudulently inflated the cost of a drug used primarily to reduce the side effects of cancer treatments and other generic drugs without regard to the increased costs borne by government healthcare programs or elderly and indigent patients”. (fda.gov)
On March 25, 2004, Bristol-Myers Squibb, the manufacturers of Abilify, published a letter to healthcare professionals warning that atypical antipsychotics (including Abilify) have developed hyperglycemia and diabetes. Other rare conditions such as neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS), an uncommon, potentially fatal disease that includes having extremely stiff muscles, and tardive dyskinesia (involuntary facial movements) have also been associated with the use of antipsychotics. Patients with a history of seizures should use Abilify with caution as 0.1% of patients treated with Abilify experienced seizures in placebo-controlled trials. (fda.gov)
As of July, 2013, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued several labeling changes to Abilify packaging, which makes note of adverse reactions, precautions, and other warnings. These changes are summarized below:
Women should not breastfeed while taking Abilify, as it can be passed to a baby through breast milk.
People taking Abilify can experience metabolic changes, such as diabetes mellitus/hyperglycemia, weight gain, and dyslipidemia, a condition that affects cholesterol in the body.
Newborns exposed to Abilify can experience EPS (extrapyramidal symptoms). According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, extrapyramidal symptoms include parkinsonism, acute dyskinesias and dystonic reactions, tardive dyskinesia, and neuroleptic malignant syndrome (a life-threatening neurological disorder). Babies withdrawing from Abilify may experience agitation, respiratory distress, tremors, and feeding disorders. Infants experiencing these symptoms may need intensive care and additional time in the hospital. Pregnant women shouldn’t take Abilify unless not doing so will put their lives in considerable danger.
Aripiprazole can reduce a patient’s white blood cell count, causing leukopenia or neutropenia. People who have had a low white blood cell count in the past should have routine blood tests and be monitored regularly for fever and signs of infection while using Abilify.
Abilify and other atypical psychotic drugs are not an approved treatment for dementia-related psychosis in elderly patients because it increases the risk of death. Most of these deaths were a result of heart complications or infections.
Children and adults taking aripiprazole may experience a sudden change of blood pressure, particularly when standing, dizziness, seizures/convulsions, and cognitive and motor impairment.
Abilify is an atypical antipsychotic medication (a certain class of antipsychotic drugs) prescribed for schizophrenia, Tourette’s syndrome, and bipolar disorder (also known as manic depression). It is also used in combination with other drugs to treat major depressive disorder.
Although it is prescribed to treat symptoms associated with aggression and mood swings, Abilify should not be taken by elderly individuals with dementia because doing so increases the risk of death. Abilify is also prescribed to treat irritability in individuals with autism, and works by balancing out certain neurotransmitters in the brain. Exactly how the drug works, however, remains unknown to this day. (ncbi.nih.gov)
You shouldn’t drink alcohol or take other medications that make you tired while taking Abilify because it will increase the effects of drowsiness. Taking Abilify (aripiprazole) with metoclopramide (brand name Reglan) and other antipsychotics is not recommended because it can increase the severity of side effects. Other drugs that may adversely react with Abilify include acetaminophen (Tylenol), aspirin, bupropion, clozapine, metoclopramide, Topamax, Wellbutrin, and propoxyphene. Talk to your doctor if you are experiencing any adverse reactions or report your experience and help others learn more.
Abilify Maintena® is the extended release injectable suspension form of aripiprazole used to treat schizophrenia that should not be used to treat dementia in elderly patients.
CAS ID: 129722-12-9
