From the Guidelines
The starting dose for Abilify (aripiprazole) is 5 mg p.o. or i.m. (immediate-release) stat, with adjustments made as needed based on patient response and tolerance. According to the most recent and highest quality study available, which is the 2018 ESMO clinical practice guidelines for delirium in adult cancer patients 1, aripiprazole is recommended as a third-generation antipsychotic with a suggested starting dose of 5 mg. This dose can be administered orally or intramuscularly, and it is essential to reduce the dose in older patients and in poor metabolizers of cytochrome P450 2D6. The guidelines also caution about potential cytochrome P450 2D6 and 3A4 drug-drug interactions, emphasizing the need to consult pharmacist/pharmacy references for further details.
Key considerations for dosing Abilify include:
- Starting dose: 5 mg p.o. or i.m. (immediate-release) stat
- Dose adjustments: made gradually, with consideration of patient response and tolerance
- Special populations: reduced doses recommended for older patients and those with hepatic or renal impairment
- Administration: can be taken with or without food, and dosage adjustments should be made gradually, usually waiting at least 2 weeks between increases.
It is crucial to follow the healthcare provider's specific dosing instructions, as they will tailor the dose to the individual patient's needs, taking into account factors such as medical history, current medications, and response to treatment 1.
From the FDA Drug Label
- 1 Schizophrenia Adults The recommended starting and target dose for aripiprazole tablets is 10 or 15 mg/day administered on a once-a-day schedule without regard to meals Adolescents The starting daily dose of the tablet formulation in these patients was 2 mg, which was titrated to 5 mg after 2 days and to the target dose of 10 mg after 2 additional days.
The starting dose for Abilify (aripiprazole) is:
- 10 or 15 mg/day for adults
- 2 mg for adolescents, which is then titrated to 5 mg after 2 days and to the target dose of 10 mg after 2 additional days 2
From the Research
Starting Dose for Abilify
- The starting dose for Abilify (aripiprazole) is not explicitly stated in the provided studies, but the effective and well-tolerated doses are mentioned as 10 or 15 mg once daily for patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder 3.
- Dosage titration is not necessary, and the drug is effective in the first few weeks of treatment 3.
- For the treatment of adult bipolar disorder, aripiprazole is effective in the treatment and prophylaxis of manic and mixed episodes, but has no effectiveness in acute and recurrent bipolar depression 4.
- In the treatment of acute bipolar depression and maintenance therapy of bipolar disorder, aripiprazole was superior to placebo in delaying time to relapse for manic episodes, but not for depressive episodes 5.
- For major depressive disorder, aripiprazole augmentation may be an effective long-term strategy, with lower maintenance doses (2-5 mg) potentially being effective and having fewer side effects compared to larger doses (> 5 mg-10 mg) 6.
- Practical strategies for using aripiprazole in the acute and maintenance phases of bipolar disorder, including dosing, switching, management of side effects, and co-administration with other medications, are provided 7.