Abilify Maintena Therapeutic Kit (Aripiprazole)
Complete patient guide for uses, dosage, side effects, and safety information
Prescription RequiredQuick Facts
What Is Abilify Maintena Therapeutic Kit Used For?
Abilify Maintena is a long-acting injectable medication that helps treat mental health conditions by correcting chemical imbalances in the brain.
Primary Uses
Abilify Maintena is used to treat schizophrenia and Bipolar I Disorder. Schizophrenia symptoms include hallucinations, hearing or seeing things that aren’t there, suspiciousness, mistaken beliefs, incoherent speech and behavior, and emotional flatness. People may also feel depressed, guilty, anxious, or tense. Bipolar disorder symptoms include feeling ‘high’, having excessive energy, needing much less sleep than usual, talking very quickly with racing ideas, and sometimes severe irritability.
How It Works
Abilify Maintena belongs to a group of medicines called antipsychotic agents. It helps correct a chemical imbalance in the brain which may cause schizophrenia and Bipolar I Disorder. The medication helps keep symptoms under control and reduces the risk of relapse as you continue treatment.
Good to know: This long-acting injection means you only need treatment once a month instead of taking daily pills.
How to Take Abilify Maintena Therapeutic Kit
Abilify Maintena is given as a monthly injection by a healthcare professional. The medicine is slowly released from the injection site, so you don’t need to take it every day.
Dosage Instructions
The usual dose is 400 mg every 4 weeks, injected into the muscle in your buttock or shoulder. Your healthcare professional may give a lower dose if needed. After your first injection, you must take 10 mg to 20 mg of oral aripiprazole (or another prescribed oral antipsychotic) for 14 days in a row, because the first injection won’t start working right away. You may feel slight pain during the injection, which typically becomes less over time. The medication can be given regardless of meals.
What If You Miss a Dose?
If you miss your monthly injection, contact your doctor immediately to arrange your next injection as soon as possible. You should receive an injection every 4 weeks to maintain effectiveness.
Important: Don’t stop treatment just because you feel better. Continue using Abilify Maintena for as long as your doctor has told you to, as it may take several days to weeks before you feel improvement.
Available Tablet Strengths
Side Effects
Like all medications, this medicine can cause side effects. Most are mild and temporary, but some require medical attention.
Common Side Effects
These side effects occur relatively frequently and usually don’t require emergency care:
- Headache
- Fatigue, drowsiness or sleepiness
- Speech disorder
- Agitation or restlessness
- Pain or swelling at injection site
- Appetite increase or decrease
- Shaking
- Muscle ache or stiffness
- Dry mouth
- Difficulty passing urine or incontinence
- Inability for a man to have an erection or persistent painful erection
- Depression
- Blurred or double vision
- Abnormal hair loss
- Constipation or diarrhea
- High blood pressure
- Abnormal liver blood values
- Low sodium levels in blood
- Bruise easily
Seek immediate medical attention if you experience:
- Serious allergic reaction with swelling of face, lips, mouth or throat, rash, itching or hives
- Abnormal movements of tongue or other uncontrolled movements of mouth, cheeks, jaw, arms and legs
- High fever, stiff muscles, confusion, sweating, changes in pulse, heart rate and blood pressure (neuroleptic malignant syndrome)
- Convulsions or seizures
- Chest pain
- Rapid pulse
- Swelling, pain or redness in leg, chest pain or difficulty breathing
- Excessive sleepiness, dizziness, confusion, difficulty talking or walking, muscle stiffness, fever, weakness, irritability, aggression, anxiety, increased blood pressure, or seizures leading to loss of consciousness
- High or unstable blood sugar levels
- Thoughts of suicide, suicide attempts
- Yellowing of skin and/or eyes (jaundice)
- Inflammation of pancreas or liver, severe upper stomach pain
- Muscle pain, weakness or cramps, high blood levels of creatine phosphokinase
- Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS)
- Inability to sit or stand still, restless movement
- Abnormally low or high body temperature, excessive sweating
- Frequent infections with fever, chills, sore throat or mouth ulcers
- Difficulty swallowing or accidental inhalation of food or liquids
- Weight loss or gain
Impulse Control Issues
Tell your doctor if you have past experience of excessive gambling. You may develop excessive compulsive urges such as gambling, sexual urges, spending, binge or compulsive eating while taking this medication.
Important Warnings
There are several important conditions and situations where Abilify Maintena should not be used or requires special caution.
Who Should Not Take Abilify Maintena Therapeutic Kit
Do not use Abilify Maintena if you are allergic to aripiprazole or any of the ingredients. Signs of allergic reaction include shortness of breath, wheezing, difficulty breathing, swelling of face, lips, tongue or other body parts, and rash, itching or hives on the skin.
Medical Conditions to Discuss
Tell your doctor if you have: dementia (especially if elderly), neuroleptic malignant syndrome, tardive dyskinesia, low or high blood pressure, heart or blood vessel problems including stroke, epilepsy or seizures, conditions that increase fall risk, problems with your esophagus or difficulty swallowing, high blood sugar or diabetes, blood clots or risk factors for blood clots, past experience with excessive gambling or compulsive behaviors, low white blood cell count, or other conditions that may affect receiving injections.
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Tell your doctor immediately if you become pregnant while using Abilify Maintena. It should not be used during pregnancy unless benefits outweigh risks. Newborn babies may experience shaking, muscle stiffness, weakness, sleepiness, agitation, breathing problems, and feeding difficulties if mothers used this medication in the last three months of pregnancy. If breastfeeding, discuss with your doctor whether to continue the medication or breastfeeding – you should not do both.
Elderly Patients With Dementia: Elderly patients with dementia may suffer serious side effects such as mini-stroke, stroke, pneumonia, or heart problems. These serious side effects can be life threatening.
Drug Interactions
Some medicines may interfere with Abilify Maintena and affect how it works. Always tell your doctor about all medications you’re taking.
- Medicines and herbal remedies used to treat depression and anxiety
- Certain medicines used to treat nicotine dependence
- Anticonvulsants used to treat epilepsy
- Medicines used to treat high blood pressure
- Medicines used to treat heart rhythm disturbances
- Medicines used to treat bacterial, fungal or viral infections
Alcohol & Driving
Abilify Maintena can affect your ability to drive and may increase the effects of alcohol, so special precautions are needed.
Alcohol
Avoid alcohol completely while using Abilify Maintena. This medication can increase the effects of alcohol, making it more dangerous.
Driving and Operating Machinery
Be careful before you drive or use any machines or tools until you know how Abilify Maintena affects you. The medication may cause drowsiness, dizziness, or other effects that could impair your ability to operate vehicles or machinery safely.
Temperature Regulation
Abilify Maintena may affect how your body reacts to temperature changes and may prevent sweating, even during heatwaves. You may feel dizzy or faint if you get too hot. To stay cool: wear light clothing, spend time in air-conditioned environments, drink plenty of water, take cool baths or showers, avoid hot baths and saunas, and restrict exercise to cool parts of the day. If the medication makes you feel light-headed, dizzy or faint, be careful when getting up from sitting or lying positions – getting up slowly may help.
Storage
Abilify Maintena will be stored by your healthcare professional until it’s time for your injection. The medication should be stored in its package in a dry place where the temperature stays below 30°C. Do not freeze. Healthcare professionals will not use the medication beyond the expiry date printed on the carton.
Overdose Information
Since this medicine is given under medical supervision, overdose is unlikely. However, if you think you’ve been given too much, you may experience rapid heartbeat, agitation, speech problems, unusual movements (especially of face or tongue), reduced consciousness, confusion, seizures, coma, fever, faster breathing, sweating, muscle stiffness, drowsiness, slower breathing, choking, high or low blood pressure, or abnormal heart rhythms. If you suspect overdose, immediately phone the Poisons Information Centre (13 11 26 in Australia or 0800 POISON in New Zealand), contact your doctor, or go to the nearest hospital Emergency Department, even if there are no signs of discomfort.
Frequently Asked Questions
It may take several days to some weeks, sometimes longer, before you feel any improvement. The first injection won’t start working right away, which is why you need to take oral medication for 14 days after your first injection.
No, you should avoid alcohol completely while using Abilify Maintena. The medication can increase the effects of alcohol, making it more dangerous.
If you miss your monthly injection, contact your doctor immediately to arrange your next injection as soon as possible. You should receive an injection every 4 weeks to maintain effectiveness.
No, don’t stop treatment just because you feel better. It’s important to continue using Abilify Maintena for as long as your doctor has told you to, as this helps keep symptoms under control and reduces the risk of relapse.
Weight loss or gain is listed as a possible side effect. Your doctor may check your body weight before starting treatment and continue to monitor it for as long as you are being treated.
Elderly patients with dementia may suffer serious side effects such as mini-stroke, stroke, pneumonia, or heart problems, which can be life threatening. Special caution is needed for elderly patients.
Yes, be careful before you drive or use any machines or tools until you know how Abilify Maintena affects you. The medication may cause drowsiness, dizziness, or other effects that could impair your driving ability.
Important Disclaimer
This information is intended for general educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider or pharmacist before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or emergency services immediately.