Abilify Maintena (aripiprazole) is a prescription drug used to help treat schizophrenia or bipolar I disorder in adults. Abilify Maintena is given as an injection into a muscle by a healthcare professional.
To learn more about Abilify Maintena’s uses, see the “What is Abilify Maintena used for?” section.
Abilify Maintena basics
Abilify Maintena contains the active ingredient aripiprazole. It belongs to a group of drugs called atypical antipsychotics. Abilify Maintena is a brand-name medication. A generic version of the drug isn’t currently available.
Abilify Maintena has a boxed warning. This is the most serious warning from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). For details, see the “What should be considered before starting Abilify Maintena?” section.
Abilify Maintena is used to help treat schizophrenia and bipolar I disorder in adults.
Schizophrenia is a mental health condition that’s often diagnosed in late adolescence or early adulthood. If you have schizophrenia, you may experience hallucinations, delusions (false beliefs), or emotional difficulties.
Bipolar I disorder is also a mental health condition. If you have bipolar I disorder, you’ve had at least one manic episode, during which you may have a lot of energy or be more impulsive than usual. This episode may last at least 1 week and interferes with your day-to-day life.
If you have bipolar I disorder, you may or may not experience a depressive episode, and you may have considerable amounts of time during which you experience no bipolar disorder-related symptoms.
It’s not fully known how Abilify Maintena works to treat schizophrenia or bipolar I disorder. But it’s thought that the drug may help regulate levels of certain chemicals in the brain, such as dopamine and serotonin. This may help ease symptoms of these mental health conditions.
Like most drugs, Abilify Maintena may cause mild to serious side effects. The lists below contain some of the more common side effects this drug may cause, but they don’t include all the possible side effects.
Keep in mind that side effects of a drug can depend on:
- your age
- other health conditions you have
- other medications you take
Your doctor or pharmacist can tell you more about the potential side effects of Abilify Maintena. They can also suggest ways to help reduce or manage the side effects.
Side effects may differ slightly between people with schizophrenia and people with bipolar I disorder.
Mild side effects
Here’s a list of some of the mild side effects Abilify Maintena can cause. To learn about other mild side effects, talk with your doctor or pharmacist or read the drug’s prescribing information.
Mild side effects of Abilify Maintena that have been reported include:
- gastrointestinal problems, such as diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, and abdominal pain
- dry mouth
- upper respiratory tract infections
- pain in the back, muscles, or joints
- sleepiness, restlessness, or dizziness
- pain around the area where Abilify Maintena was injected
- changes in weight
- tremor
Mild side effects of many drugs may go away within a few days to a couple of weeks. But if they become bothersome, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Serious side effects
Serious side effects from Abilify Maintena can occur, but they aren’t common. If you have serious side effects from this medication, call your doctor right away. But if you think you’re having a medical emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number.
Serious side effects of Abilify Maintena that have been reported include:
- neuroleptic malignant syndrome
- tardive dyskinesia
- increases in blood sugar
- new or worsening type 2 diabetes
- increases in blood cholesterol or triglycerides
- falls
- orthostatic hypotension (low blood pressure upon standing up too quickly)
- the urge to engage in compulsive activities, such as gambling
- a lower number of certain white blood cells (leukocytes or neutrophils)
- seizure, especially in people who take certain medications or have had seizures in the past
- an inability to think or move as usual
- problems with body temperature, such as feeling too warm
- difficulty swallowing
- boxed warning: increased risk of death in older adults who take Abilify Maintena and also have dementia-related psychosis*
* For more information, see the “What should be considered before starting Abilify Maintena?” section.
ALLERGIC REACTIONBased on the drug’s prescribing information, Abilify Maintena can cause an allergic reaction for some people.
In general, symptoms of allergic reaction can be mild or serious.
What might help
If you have mild symptoms of an allergic reaction, such as a mild rash, call your doctor right away. They may suggest a treatment to manage your symptoms and can determine whether you should continue Abilify Maintena treatment.
If you have symptoms of a severe allergic reaction, such as swelling or difficulty breathing, call 911 or your local emergency number right away. These symptoms could be life threatening and require immediate medical care.
If your doctor confirms you’ve had a serious allergic reaction to Abilify Maintena, they may have you switch to a different treatment.
Below are commonly used dosages of Abilify Maintena, but the dosage you’re prescribed will be determined by your doctor. They’ll determine the dosage that’s right for you.
Forms and strengths
Abilify Maintena is available as a powder in vials or syringes. Both forms are:
- single-use only
- extended release (meaning the drug is slowly released into your body over a period of time)
- mixed by a healthcare professional into a suspension (liquid mixture) and given as an injection
Abilify Maintena is available in two strengths: 300 milligrams (mg) and 400 mg.
Recommended dosages
For the treatment of schizophrenia or bipolar I disorder, your doctor will likely prescribe a dosage of 400 mg once per month. This dose will be injected into a muscle in your upper arm or buttock by a healthcare professional.
With your first injection, your doctor will also likely prescribe 10 mg to 20 mg of oral aripiprazole (the active ingredient in Abilify Maintena) for 14 days. This is to help the drug reach beneficial levels in your body.
Abilify Maintena and oral aripiprazole are antipsychotic drugs. If you’re taking another antipsychotic drug that works for you (and you know you can take aripiprazole without bothersome side effects), you’ll likely continue taking your other antipsychotic for 14 days after your first dose of Abilify Maintena.
If you haven’t taken any form of aripiprazole before, your doctor will likely prescribe an oral aripiprazole regimen for a few weeks before injecting your first Abilify Maintena dose. This is to see how your body reacts to the drug.
If you experience side effects with the 400-mg once-monthly dosage, your doctor may reduce your dosage to 300 mg once monthly.
They may also reduce your dose if you take certain other medications or have certain genetic factors.
How to take
Your doctor will explain how Abilify Maintena will be given to you. They’ll also explain how much you’ll be given and how often.
Abilify Maintena is available as a powder in single-use syringes or vials. A healthcare professional will mix the powder with liquid to create an extended-release suspension. This is a type of liquid mixture that releases the drug slowly into your body over a period of time after it’s injected.
You’ll receive these injections into a muscle in your upper arm or buttock at your doctor’s office or a clinic. The healthcare professional who is giving you a dose of the drug will rotate the injection site each time you receive a dose.
For more detailed information on how the drug is given, check out Abilify Maintena’s prescribing information or the manufacturer’s website.
Questions about receiving Abilify Maintena doses
Below are some common questions about receiving doses of Abilify Maintena.
- What if I miss a dose of Abilify Maintena? If you miss an appointment to receive an injection of Abilify Maintena, call your doctor’s office as soon as possible to reschedule. When you’ll receive your next dose after the missed dose will depend on how many doses you’ve received before the missed dose. It will also depend on how long it’s been since your last dose. Depending on how long it’s been, you may need to restart a regimen of oral aripiprazole with your next injection.
- Will I need to use Abilify Maintena long term? Abilify Maintena is typically a long-term treatment. If you and your doctor determine that it’s safe and effective for your condition, you’ll likely take it long term.
- How long does Abilify Maintena take to work? Abilify Maintena begins to work after you receive your first dose. But because of how the drug works, it may take a few weeks for you to start to notice improvement in your symptoms. Throughout your treatment, your doctor will check whether Abilify Maintena is working to treat your condition.
Below is important information you should consider before starting Abilify Maintena treatment.
Interactions
Taking a drug with certain medications, vaccines, foods, and other things can affect how the drug works. These effects are called interactions.
Abilify Maintena can interact with several other medications. It can also interact with certain supplements and certain foods.
Before starting Abilify Maintena treatment, talk with your doctor and pharmacist. Tell them about all prescription, over-the-counter, and other drugs you take. Also, tell them about any vitamins, herbs, and supplements you take. Sharing this information can help you avoid potential interactions.
If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Drug interactions
Below is a list of medications that can interact with Abilify Maintena. This list does not contain all drugs that may interact with Abilify Maintena. If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
| Drug group or drug name | Drug examples |
|---|---|
| certain antidepressants | • paroxetine (Paxil, Brisdelle) • fluoxetine (Prozac) |
| certain antifungals | • ketoconazole • itraconazole (Sporanox, Tolsura) |
| certain drugs for seizures | • carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Equetro, Tegretol, Teril, Epitol) • phenytoin (Dilantin, Phenytek) |
| certain drugs for high blood pressure | • doxazosin (Cardura) • prazosin (Minipress) |
| certain benzodiazepines | • lorazepam (Ativan, Loreev XR) • temazepam (Restoril) |
Abilify Maintena and alcohol
It is not safe to consume alcohol while taking Abilify Maintena. Consuming alcohol during treatment with this medication may worsen certain side effects, such as sedation and dizziness.
Abilify Maintena belongs to a group of drugs called antipsychotics. Like alcohol, these drugs can impair your ability to drive or operate machinery safely. Do not drive until you know how Abilify Maintena will affect you.
Other interactions
Abilify Maintena can interact with other substances, such as:
- Vitamins or supplements: Abilify Maintena interacts with St. John’s wort. Your doctor will likely recommend that you avoid taking this supplement during your Abilify Maintena treatment.
- Foods: Abilify Maintena interacts with grapefruit and grapefruit juice. Your doctor will likely recommend that you not consume grapefruit products during your Abilify Maintena treatment.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
It’s not known whether Abilify Maintena treatment is safe during pregnancy. But Abilify Maintena belongs to a group of drugs called antipsychotics. If you take antipsychotics during your third trimester, they may cause your baby to have symptoms such as breathing problems or tremor at birth.
If you’ve taken Abilify Maintena while pregnant, talk with your doctor and consider enrolling in the National Pregnancy Registry for Atypical Antipsychotics. This registry collects data about the effects Abilify Maintena has during pregnancy. You can enroll by calling 866-961-2388 or by visiting the registry’s website.
Abilify Maintena passes into breast milk, but it’s not known what amounts are present in breast milk or what effects it might have on a child who is breastfed.
If you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning for either, talk with your doctor before starting Abilify Maintena treatment.
Boxed warning
Abilify Maintena has a boxed warning. This is the most serious warning from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It alerts doctors and patients about drug effects that may be dangerous.
Abilify Maintena (and other antipsychotic drugs) have a boxed warning about the increased risk of death if these drugs are taken by older adults who also have psychosis related to dementia.
While studies found multiple causes of death in people with dementia-related psychosis, many of those people also had other health conditions that led to their death. These included heart or lung problems (such as heart failure) and infections (such as pneumonia).
Due to this risk, doctors will not prescribe Abilify Maintena (or other antipsychotics) for people with dementia-related psychosis.
Other warnings
Abilify Maintena can sometimes cause harmful effects in people with certain conditions. This is known as a drug-condition interaction. Other factors may also affect whether this drug is a good treatment option for you.
Talk with your doctor about your health history before starting Abilify Maintena treatment. Be sure to tell them if any of the following factors apply to you:
- stroke
- high blood sugar or new or worsening diabetes
- high levels of cholesterol or triglycerides in your blood
- history of gambling or other compulsive behaviors
- seizures
- blood pressure problems
- a lower number of certain white blood cells (leukocytes or neutrophils)
- previous allergic reaction to Abilify Maintena
- pregnancy
- breastfeeding
Find answers to some commonly asked questions about Abilify Maintena.
How does Abilify Maintena compare to Aristada?
Abilify Maintena contains the active ingredient aripiprazole. Aristada contains a different form of aripiprazole, known as aripiprazole lauroxil. Aripiprazole belongs to the group of drugs called antipsychotics.
Both drugs are used to treat schizophrenia in adults. In addition, Abilify Maintena is used to treat bipolar I disorder in adults. (Aristada isn’t used for this condition.)
Both drugs come as a suspension (liquid mixture) that you’ll receive as an injection into a muscle in your upper arm or buttock by a healthcare professional. But the doses of the two drugs, as well as how often you’ll receive an injection, are different.
If you have other questions about how Abilify Maintena and Aristada compare, talk with your doctor. They can help you find the best treatment for your condition.
How does Abilify Maintena compare with Abilify Asimtufii?
Abilify Maintena and Abilify Asimtufii contain the same active ingredient, aripiprazole. Aripiprazole belongs to the group of drugs called antipsychotics. These two drugs are made by the same drugmaker, Otsuka.
Both drugs are also used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar I disorder in adults.
The drugs both come as a suspension (liquid mixture) that you’ll receive as an injection into a muscle by a healthcare professional. You’ll receive Abilify Maintena injections into a muscle in your upper arm or buttock, but Abilify Asimtufii can be injected only into a buttock muscle.
The doses of the two drugs, as well as how often you’ll receive an injection, are also different.
If you have other questions about how Abilify Maintena and Abilify Asimtufii compare, talk with your doctor. They can help you find the best treatment for your condition.
What do 400-mg and 300-mg doses of Abilify Maintena equate to if given as an oral dose of aripiprazole?
Abilify Maintena contains aripiprazole and is given as an injection.
A 400-milligram (mg) dose of Abilify Maintena given once per month is approximately equal to an oral dose of 20 mg of aripiprazole taken daily.
A 300-mg dose of Abilify Maintena given once per month is approximately equal to an oral dose of 15 mg of aripiprazole taken daily.
Whether you have health insurance or not, cost may be a factor when you’re considering Abilify Maintena. What you’ll pay for this medication may depend on several things, such as your treatment plan and the pharmacy you use.
Here are a few things to consider regarding cost:
- Cost information and savings coupons: You can visit Optum Perks to get price estimates of what you’d pay for Abilify Maintena when using coupons from the site. See the coupon options below. (Note: Optum Perks coupons cannot be used with any insurance copays or benefits.)
- Savings program: If you have questions about how to pay for your prescription, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. The Abilify Maintena Savings Card may also be available.
Learn more about saving on your prescriptions.
Optum Perks is owned by RVO Health. By clicking on this link, we may receive a commission. Learn more.
Other drugs are available that can treat your condition. If you’d like to explore an alternative to Abilify Maintena, talk with your doctor. They can tell you about other medications that might work well for you.
The following drugs are also available as injections to treat schizophrenia and/or bipolar I disorder in adults:
- aripiprazole lauroxil (Aristada)
- aripiprazole (Abilify Asimtufii)
- risperidone (Risperdal Consta, Rykindo)
- paliperidone (Invega Sustenna, Invega Trinza, Invega Hafyera)
- olanzapine (Zyprexa Relprevv)
Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.