Abilify (aripiprazole)

How can this medicine affect other medicines?

It is important to tell your doctor or pharmacist what medicines you are already taking, including those bought without a prescription and herbal medicines, before you start treatment with this medicine. Similarly, check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any new medicines while taking this one, to ensure that the combination is safe.

This medicine may enhance the blood pressure-lowering effects of certain medicines used to treat high blood pressure (antihypertensives). If you are taking medicines for high blood pressure you should tell your doctor if you feel dizzy or faint after starting treatment with this medicine, as your blood pressure medicines may need adjusting.

There may be an increased chance of feeling sleepy if this medicine is taken in combination with alcohol or medicines that can make you drowsy, such as the following:

tricyclic antidepressants, eg amitriptyline

strong opioid painkillers, eg morphine, codeine, dihydrocodeine

benzodiazepines, eg diazepam, temazepam

sedating antihistamines, eg chlorphenamine, promethazine, hydroxyzine

sleeping tablets, eg zopiclone.

The following medicines may increase the amount of aripiprazole in your blood, and your doctor may need to prescribe you a lower dose of aripiprazole if you are taking any of these:

fluoxetine

HIV protease inhibitors, eg ritonavir

itraconazole

ketoconazole

paroxetine

quinidine.

If you stop treatment with any of these medicines while you are taking aripiprazole, your aripiprazole dose may need to be re-adjusted.

The following medicines may decrease the amount of aripiprazole in your blood. Your doctor may need to prescribe you a higher dose of aripiprazole if you are taking any of these:

carbamazepine

efavirenz

nevirapine

phenobarbital

phenytoin

primidone

rifabutin

rifampicin

the herbal remedy St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum).

If you stop treatment with any of these medicines while you are taking aripiprazole, your aripiprazole dose may need to be re-adjusted.

There may be an increased risk of abnormal heart rhythms (prolonged QT interval on a heart monitoring trace or ECG) if this medicine is taken in combination with any of the following medicines:

medicines for abnormal heart beats (antiarrhythmics), eg amiodarone, procainamide, disopyramide, sotalol

certain antidepressants, eg amitriptyline, imipramine, maprotiline

the anthistamines astemizole (no longer available in the UK) or terfenadine

certain antimalarials, eg halofantrine, chloroquine, quinine

other antipsychotics, eg thioridazine, chlorpromazine, sertindole, haloperidol

erythromycin or pentamidine given by injection into a vein

cisapride

medicines that can alter the levels of salts such as potassium in your blood, eg diuretics such as furosemide.

Other medicines containing the same active ingredient

There are currently no other medicines available in the UK that contain aripiprazole as the active ingredient.

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