Can low-dose aripiprazole reverse some of the adverse effects from a long-acting injectable?

Long-acting injectables (LAIs) are one of the most effective tools to address medication non-adherence in patients with schizophrenia. However, if a patient develops adverse effects, such as extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) and hyperprolactinemia with an LAI, s/he can suffer from those adverse effects for an extended period of time. Although anticholinergic medications are the first line of treatment for EPS, they are usually not effective for akathisia. Aripiprazole is a potent partial agonist which has the ability to displace concomitantly-administered antipsychotic drugs that antagonize D2Rs, which may help reduce EPS and hyperprolactinemia.

Source: Schizophrenia Research - August 15, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Karen Fryefield, Mujeeb U. Shad Tags: Letter to the Editor Source Type: research