Prescriptions Into Practice: Aripiprazole (Abilify): A Novel Atypical Antipsychotic Medication

Abstract

In the past, treatment of psychosis was centered on conventional agents, whose tolerability was limited by extrapyramidal side effects (EPS). The past decade has seen emergence of newer antipsychotic agents, first with clozapine and then with risperidone, olanzapine, quetiapine and ziprasidone. In general, while demonstrating similar efficacies to traditional agents, use of these compounds may be associated with lower risk of extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) and possibly less cognitive impairment and better effects on negative symptoms. However, evolving evidence suggests that several drugs in this class may be associated with significant weight gain, lipid, and other metabolic abnormalities. Aripiprazole, a quinolinone derivative, is an atypical antipsychotic drug, displaying clinical efficacy similar to that of haloperidol and risperidone and superior to that of placebo in numerous clinical trials. Aripiprazole use is also associated with lower rate of clinically significant weight gain compared with other atypical antipsychotics. Patients receiving aripiprazole may experience EPS at a rate similar to that seen with placebo. Within the antipsychotic medication class, the introduction of aripiprazole may provide an alternative therapeutic option to traditional antipsychotics without some use limiting side effects of other atypical medications.