• IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
  • U.S. FULL PRESCRIBING INFORMATION, including Boxed WARNINGS, and Medication Guide
ABILIFY
Home| Depression| Bipolar Disorder| Schizophrenia | For U.S. Healthcare Professionals
U.S. FULL PRESCRIBING INFORMATION, including Boxed WARNINGS, and Medication Guide      
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Antidepressants may increase suicidal thoughts or behaviors in some children, teenagers, and young adults, especially within the first few months of treatment or when the dose is changed. Depression and other serious mental illnesses are themselves associated with an increase in the risk of suicide. Patients on antidepressants and their families or caregivers should watch for new or worsening depression symptoms, unusual changes in behavior, or thoughts of suicide. Such symptoms should be reported to the patient’s healthcare professional right away, especially if they are severe or occur suddenly.  
CONTINUED BELOW
  • About ABILIFY
    • How ABILIFY is Thought To Work
    • How to Take ABILIFY with Your Current Antidepressant
    • Safety Profile and Side Effects for ABILIFY
  • Adding ABILIFY
    to an Antidepressant
    • Seeking Additional Depressive
      Symptom Relief
  • Managing Depression
    • Exploring Your Options
    • Healthy Living
    • Supporting Someone With Depression
    • Resources for Depression
  • Tools for Therapy
    • Major Depression Inventory (MDI)
    • Doctor Discussion Guide
    • Side Effects Checklist
    • Sign Up for More Information

Supporting someone with depression.

Knowing how to be there for someone suffering from depression can be challenging. Supporting Someone With Depression
There are multiple ways to treat depression, including antidepressants and talk therapy. Exploring Your Options
The more you know about depression, the better support you can be to someone suffering from it. Resources for Depression

If someone you're close to is suffering from depression, coming to the ABILIFY® (aripiprazole) website is a positive step in supporting the person you care about. In addition to different treatment options, having a caring friend or family member can be helpful in depressive symptom management.


ABILIFY is added to an antidepressant to help treat unresolved symptoms of depression in adults.

Adding on ABILIFY ABILIFY can help improve symptoms of depression in adults when added to an antidepressant.
Interactive tools Check out our doctor discussion guide, side effect checklist and more.
View our depression TV spot Watch our commercial about adding ABILIFY to an antidepressant.
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How ABILIFY Is Thought to Work | Depression Resources | Tools for Therapy

 

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION and INDICATION for ABILIFY® (aripiprazole)

INDICATION: ABILIFY is indicated for:

  • Use as an add-on treatment to an antidepressant for Major Depressive Disorder in adults

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION:

Antidepressants may increase suicidal thoughts or behaviors in some children, teenagers, and young adults, especially within the first few months of treatment or when the dose is changed. Depression and other serious mental illnesses are themselves associated with an increase in the risk of suicide. Patients on antidepressants and their families or caregivers should watch for new or worsening depression symptoms, unusual changes in behavior, or thoughts of suicide. Such symptoms should be reported to the patient’s healthcare professional right away, especially if they are severe or occur suddenly. ABILIFY is not approved for use in pediatric patients with depression (see Boxed WARNING).

Elderly people with psychosis related to dementia (for example, an inability to perform daily activities as a result of increased memory loss), treated with antipsychotic medicines including ABILIFY, are at an increased risk of death compared to placebo. ABILIFY is not approved for the treatment of people with dementia-related psychosis (see Boxed WARNING).

Contraindication: Patients should not use ABILIFY if they are allergic to aripiprazole or any of the ingredients in ABILIFY. Allergic reactions have ranged from rash, hives and itching to anaphylaxis, which may include difficulty breathing, tightness in the chest, swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue.

Serious side effects may include:

  • An increased risk of stroke and ministroke have been reported in clinical studies of elderly people with dementia-related psychosis
  • Very high fever, rigid muscles, shaking, confusion, sweating, or increased heart rate and blood pressure. These may be signs of a condition called neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS), a rare but serious side effect which could be fatal
  • Abnormal or uncontrollable movements of face, tongue, or other parts of body. These may be signs of a serious condition called tardive dyskinesia (TD), which could become permanent
  • If you have diabetes, or risk factors for diabetes (for example, obesity, family history of diabetes), or unexpected increases in thirst, urination, or hunger, your blood sugar should be monitored. Increases in blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia), in some cases serious and associated with coma or death, have been reported in patients taking ABILIFY and medicines like it

Lightheadedness or faintness caused by a sudden change in heart rate and blood pressure when rising quickly from a sitting or lying position (orthostatic hypotension) has been reported with ABILIFY.

Decreases in white blood cells (infection fighting cells) have been reported in some patients taking antipsychotic agents, including ABILIFY. Patients with a history of a significant decrease in white blood cell (WBC) count or who have experienced a low WBC count due to drug therapy should have their blood tested and monitored during the first few months of therapy.

ABILIFY and medicines like it can affect your judgment, thinking, or motor skills. You should not drive or operate hazardous machinery until you know how ABILIFY affects you.

Medicines like ABILIFY can impact your body’s ability to reduce body temperature; you should avoid overheating and dehydration.

ABILIFY and medicines like it have been associated with swallowing problems (dysphagia). If you had or have swallowing problems, you should tell your healthcare professional.

Tell your healthcare professional if you have a history of, or are at risk for seizures, or are pregnant or intend to become pregnant, and about all prescription and non-prescription medicines you are taking or plan to take, since there are some risks for drug interactions.

While taking ABILIFY, avoid:

  • Drinking alcohol
  • Breast-feeding an infant

Most common side effects (≥10%) from all clinical trials involving adults include:

  • ADULTS: Nausea, vomiting, constipation, headache, dizziness, an inner sense of restlessness or need to move (akathisia), anxiety, insomnia, and restlessness

It is important to contact your healthcare professional if you experience prolonged, abnormal muscle spasms or contractions which may be signs of a condition called dystonia.

For patients who must limit their sugar intake, ABILIFY Oral Solution contains sugar.

For patients with phenylketonuria or PKU, ABILIFY DISCMELT® (aripiprazole) contains phenylalanine.

If you have any questions about your health or medicines, talk to your healthcare professional.

Please see accompanying FULL PRESCRIBING INFORMATION, including Boxed WARNINGS, and Medication Guide, for ABILIFY.

570US09WA16801    June 2009    0309W-1981

© 2009  Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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The individuals who appear on this page are for illustrative purposes only. Any person depicted here is a model and not an actual patient.