Does aripiprazole (Abilify) help with mood stability?

From the Guidelines

Aripiprazole can help with mood stability, particularly for bipolar disorder, as it is used as a mood stabilizer and has been shown to be effective in reducing manic symptoms and potentially alleviating depressive symptoms. Aripiprazole (brand name Abilify) is an atypical antipsychotic medication that is typically prescribed at doses ranging from 10-30 mg per day, taken orally. The medication usually takes 1-2 weeks to start showing effects, with full benefits often seen after 4-6 weeks of consistent use. For mood stability, aripiprazole works by modulating dopamine and serotonin activity in the brain, acting as a partial agonist at certain dopamine receptors, which helps to stabilize dopamine signaling 1. Some key points to consider when using aripiprazole for mood stability include:

• Regular follow-ups with a psychiatrist are important to monitor effectiveness and adjust dosage if needed
• Aripiprazole should not be stopped abruptly, as this can lead to withdrawal symptoms or mood destabilization
• Patients should be aware of potential side effects, including restlessness, weight gain, and drowsiness
• The American Dietetic Association's recommendations for managing weight gain for patients taking antipsychotics should be followed, including baseline body mass index, waist circumference, blood pressure, fasting glucose, and a fasting lipid panel 1. It's also important to note that while aripiprazole can be effective for mood stability, it is not without risks and side effects, and should be used under the guidance of a qualified healthcare professional.

From the FDA Drug Label

A maintenance trial was conducted in adult patients meeting DSM-IV criteria for bipolar I disorder with a recent manic or mixed episode who had been stabilized on open-label aripiprazole and who had maintained a clinical response for at least 6 weeks Aripiprazole was superior to placebo on time to the number of combined affective relapses (manic plus depressive), the primary outcome measure for this study (Study 7 in Figure 7) An adjunctive maintenance trial was conducted in adult patients meeting DSM-IV criteria for bipolar I disorder with a recent manic or mixed episode. Aripiprazole was superior to placebo on the primary endpoint, time from randomization to relapse to any mood event (Study 8 in Figure 8)

Aripiprazole helps with mood stability in patients with bipolar I disorder. The drug has been shown to be superior to placebo in preventing combined affective relapses (manic plus depressive) and in delaying time to relapse to any mood event.

• Key benefits include:
  • Reduced risk of manic episodes
  • Delayed time to relapse to any mood event
• The evidence is based on two studies:
  • A monotherapy maintenance trial (Study 7) 2
  • An adjunctive maintenance trial (Study 8) 2

From the Research

Aripiprazole and Mood Stability

• Aripiprazole has been shown to be effective in improving mood stability in patients with bipolar disorder 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
• Studies have demonstrated that aripiprazole adjunct treatment can lead to significant improvements in depressive and manic symptoms, as well as functional recovery 3, 6
• Aripiprazole has been found to be effective in reducing obsessive-compulsive symptoms in patients with bipolar disorder and comorbid obsessive-compulsive disorder 4, 7

Efficacy of Aripiprazole

• Aripiprazole has been shown to be effective in achieving significant remission in affective and obsessive-compulsive symptoms in patients with bipolar disorder and comorbid obsessive-compulsive disorder 4
• The combination of aripiprazole and mood stabilizers has been found to be effective in treating acute mania and maintaining treatment of patients with bipolar I disorder 5, 6
• Aripiprazole has been found to be generally well-tolerated, with a low risk of prolactin elevation, corrected QT interval prolongation, and metabolic disturbances 6

Safety and Tolerability

• Aripiprazole has been found to be generally safe and well-tolerated, with minimal adverse events 3, 6
• Common adverse events associated with aripiprazole include extrapyramidal symptoms, tremor, tension/inner unrest, reduced duration of sleep, and akathisia 6, 7
• Aripiprazole has been found to have a lower risk of metabolic side effects compared to other combination therapies, but may increase the risk of extrapyramidal side effects with long-term treatment 5