Aripiprazole and Autism Ranking:

Risks and Safety

Hazards

According to the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (2017) aripiprazole can cause the following side effects: headache; nervousness; dizziness, feeling unsteady, or having trouble keeping your balance; heartburn; constipation; diarrhea; stomach pain; weight gain; increased appetite; increased salivation; pain, especially in the arms, legs, or joints.

More seriously it can sometimes cause seizures; slow, fast, or irregular heartbeat; chest pain; changes in vision; unusual movements of your body or face that you cannot control; high fever; muscle stiffness; falling; confusion; sweating; rash; hives; itching; swelling of the eyes, face, mouth, lips, tongue, throat, hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs; difficulty breathing or swallowing; tightening of the neck muscles; tightness in the throat.

Even more seriously aripiprazole can cause significant side effects in some older adults with dementia and in some children, teenagers, and young adults with depression.
“Studies have shown that older adults with dementia (a brain disorder that affects the ability to remember, think clearly, communicate, and perform daily activities and that may cause changes in mood and personality) who take antipsychotics (medications for mental illness) such as aripiprazole have an increased chance of death during treatment. Older adults with dementia may also have a greater chance of having a stroke or ministroke or other severe side effects during treatment.”

and

“A small number of children, teenagers, and young adults (up to 24 years of age) who took medications for depression during clinical studies became suicidal (thinking about harming or killing oneself or planning or trying to do so). Children, teenagers, and young adults who take antidepressants to treat depression or other mental illnesses may be more likely to become suicidal than children, teenagers, and young adults who do not take antidepressants to treat these conditions. However, experts are not sure about how great this risk is and how much it should be considered in deciding whether a child or teenager should take an antidepressant. Children younger than 18 years of age should not normally take aripiprazole to treat depression, but in some cases, a doctor may decide that aripiprazole is the best medication to treat a child's condition.”

Contraindications

There are some contraindications (something which makes a particular treatment or procedure potentially inadvisable) for aripiprazole. For example, according to the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (2017), aripiprazole should be used with caution in people who are allergic to aripiprazole; who are taking medications that may react with aripiprazole (such as some antidepressants); who are dehydrated; who have specific medical conditions (such as heart disease); who are pregnant or breastfeeding.  
Please see American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (2017), for a full list of potential hazards and contraindications.

Updated

17 Jun 2022

Last Review

01 Jul 2018

Next Review

01 Mar 2024