Aripiprazole: Characteristics And Side Effects Of This Drug
The suffering of different mental disorders by the population has meant that throughout history different mechanisms and measures have been sought to apply in order to treat these disorders. Even in ancient cultures and prehistory, rituals such as trepanation have been carried out for this purpose. But over the years, different methodologies have been refined that are highly effective in the treatment of these disorders.
Among them we find the synthesis of substances that eliminate or reduce symptoms: psychotropic drugs. With regard to schizophrenia, pharmacological treatment is now considered to be of great importance for the maintenance and stabilization of patients. AND Among the many existing psychotropic drugs we can find aripiprazole which we are going to talk about in this article.
Aripiprazole is a psychotropic drug classified as an antipsychotic or neuroleptic, drugs specially designed to produce a positive effect on the reduction and elimination of symptoms of schizophrenia and psychotic disorders such as delusions and hallucinations and psychomotor agitation.
Among antipsychotics it is classified as atypical because its creation is based on the attempt to develop effective drugs in the treatment of these symptoms without producing the level of side effects that the typical or classic ones have, as well as increasing the effectiveness in the treatment of a type of symptomatology, negative (those symptoms that reduce the functionality of the abilities present in the patient, such as impoverishment of thinking and apathy), which typical antipsychotics do not treat or may even harm.
And in this task it is especially efficient, helping to fight both positive and negative symptoms. In addition to this, it has the advantage of having a possible administration in the form of intramuscular injection in depot format (slow release) on a monthly basis, in these cases it is not necessary to take the drug orally on a continuous basis.
Aripiprazole is, as we have said, an atypical antipsychotic. As with most of this type of neuroleptics, its effects are due to its action on two neurotransmission systems: dopamine and serotonin However, its mechanism of action is somewhat different from the rest of the atypical ones when it comes to dopamine.
And although most antipsychotics, both typical and atypical, usually work by blocking dopamine D2 receptors in the brain, this is not the case with aripiprazole. This drug is in fact a partial agonist of D2 receptors, favoring in principle its presence in the brain In principle, this would increase positive psychotic symptoms, but the truth is that it reduces them.
This reduction is explained by the action on serotonin. The rest of atypicals decrease brain serotonin in such a way that it stops inhibiting dopamine in the areas that do not require a reduction of it, so that the blocking action that they generally produce has an effect on the mesolimbic pathway (positive symptoms). as hallucinations are produced by an excess in this pathway) but in the cortex this blocking effect is reduced and compensated with the inhibition of an inhibitor (serotonin).
In the case of aripiprazole, this effect occurs in part on some types of serotonin receptors, being blocked by the drug, while on the other hand it stimulates its synthesis as a partial agonist of the 5-HT1a receptors. This contributes to a decrease in the level of dopamine in some areas while at a general level it increases in others.
Indications
The main indication for aripiprazole is the treatment of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. In this sense contributes to reducing or eliminating positive symptoms, whether in the form of hallucinations, agitation or behavioral alterations, while it has positive effects on the negative ones (avolition, poverty of thought and emotional flattening among others). It is also used to keep those who suffer from these disorders stable, starting at fifteen years of age.
It has also been used effectively in the treatment of manic episodes in the context of bipolar disorder, starting at the age of thirteen. Not only in the treatment of acute crises, but also in the prevention of new episodes. However, In some subjects it is possible that the consumption of this drug triggers manic episodes
In addition to the previous indications, this drug is also sometimes used in the treatment of problems such as Tourette’s disorder or autism, generally to control its clinical manifestations.
Side effects
Although very useful in numerous disorders, aripiprazole is a psychotropic drug that can cause numerous side effects of varying severity.
Among the most frequent we can find the presence of drowsiness and fatigue, weight gain, headache, increased appetite, nervousness, hypersalivation, muscle pain, gastrointestinal disorders, diarrhea or constipation and balance problems. Insomnia and anxiety are common. Other more serious ones would include alterations in consciousness, hyperglycemia, respiratory distress, muscle rigidity, visual disturbances, arrhythmias and dyskinesias, as well as suicidal thoughts. Unlike other antipsychotics, the presence of sexual or motor alterations is not common.
In addition, it has been observed in recent years how the administration of this drug has been associated in some cases (although it is not common) with a increased impulsivity, gambling addiction, hyperphagia, increased libido and the search for sexual relations and the existence of compulsive behaviors such as shopping. In short, it has been associated in some people with the existence of loss of impulse control, something that can have various consequences for the person in question.
Contraindications and risks
Aripiprazole is a very powerful drug that can generate various effects on the body, and may pose a considerable risk and is contraindicated in different types of population.
Among those who should not consume this drug we can find those people with allergies to it or any of its components. This drug is also highly contraindicated for people who suffer from dementia, increasing the subject’s risk of death in these cases. The presence of heart disease or cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases They also make this drug contraindicated.
People with diabetes should avoid this drug, since its consumption can greatly increase sugar levels and lead to dangerous hyperglycemia. Those with liver or kidney diseases should not use aripiprazole if their condition is serious, or at least they should schedule the doses consumed with their doctor. Additionally, people with epilepsy are at risk of severe seizures if they take this drug. Another of its contraindications is in pregnant and breastfeeding women, since the risk for the fetus increases and the drug is transmitted through the placenta and breast milk.
Aripiprazole can interact with different medications, an interaction that can be harmful. Among these drugs we find some of those used in the treatment of HIV, as well as antidepressants, antihypertensive drugs and some anticonvulsants. It should also not be consumed with alcohol or other drugs
With regard to the loss of impulse control, special caution must be taken by those people who already suffer from a disorder of this type, subjects with substance dependence (whether or not they are already addicted), bipolarity (despite the fact that it is a possible drug to use for treatment) and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
