Aripiprazole: in acute mania associated with bipolar I disorder

Aripiprazole, an oral quinolinone (carbostyril), is a novel atypical antipsychotic that has partial agonist activity at dopamine D(2) and serotonin 5-HT(1A) receptors, and antagonist activity at 5-HT(2A) receptors. Aripiprazole had a rapid onset of action (as early as day 4) and was effective in the treatment of patients with bipolar I disorder experiencing an acute manic or mixed episode. Aripiprazole was generally significantly more effective than placebo in improving manic symptoms (as defined by a mean change in Young Mania Rating Scale Total Score) in 3-week placebo-controlled trials, and demonstrated superior effectiveness to haloperidol (response rate 50% vs 28.4% in patients remaining on treatment) in a 12-week comparative trial. The time to relapse of symptoms in stabilised patients with bipolar I disorder who previously experienced a manic episode was significantly longer with aripiprazole than with placebo in a 26-week relapse prevention study. Aripiprazole was generally well tolerated and was not associated with weight gain, serum prolactin elevation or clinically significant QTc interval prolongation. black triangle Changes from baseline in extrapyramidal symptom scale scores with aripiprazole were small (<0.5 units), but generally significantly greater than with placebo in one of the 3-week trials. In the 12-week trial, changes from baseline were significantly smaller with aripiprazole than with haloperidol.