Aripiprazole Actavis Side Effects

Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
Common side effects (may affect up to 1 in 10 people): Uncontrollable twitching or jerking movements, headache, tiredness, nausea, vomiting, an uncomfortable feeling in the stomach, constipation, increased production of saliva, light-headedness, trouble sleeping, restlessness, feeling anxious, sleepiness, shaking and blurred vision.
Uncommon side effects (may affect up to 1 in 100 people): Some people may feel dizzy, especially when getting up from a lying or sitting position, or may experience a fast heart rate or double vision. Some people may feel depressed. Some people may experience altered or increased sexual interest and increased blood levels of the hormone prolactin. Hiccups.
The following side effects have been reported since the marketing of Aripiprazole Tablets but the frequency for them to occur is not known (frequency cannot be estimated from the available data): Changes in the levels of some blood cells; unusual heartbeat, sudden unexplained death, heart attack; allergic reaction (e.g. swelling in the mouth, tongue, face and throat, itching, rash); high blood sugar, onset or worsening of diabetes, ketoacidosis (ketones in the blood and urine) or coma, low sodium level in the blood; weight gain, weight loss, anorexia; nervousness, agitation, aggression, feeling anxious, excessive gambling; thoughts of suicide, suicide attempt and suicide; speech disorder, seizure, serotonin syndrome (a reaction which may cause feelings of great happiness, drowsiness, clumsiness, restlessness, feeling of being drunk, fever, sweating or rigid muscles), combination of fever, muscle stiffness, faster breathing, sweating, reduced consciousness and sudden changes in blood pressure and heart rate; fainting, high blood pressure, blood clots in the veins especially in the legs (symptoms include swelling, pain and redness in the leg), which may travel through blood vessels to the lungs causing chest pain and difficulty in breathing (if patient notices any of these symptoms, seek medical advice immediately); spasm of the muscles around the voice box, accidental inhalation of food with risk of pneumonia, difficulty in swallowing; inflammation of the pancreas; liver failure, inflammation of the liver, yellowing of the skin and white part of eyes, reports of abnormal liver test values, abdominal and stomach discomfort, diarrhoea; skin rash and sensitivity to light, unusual hair loss or thinning, excessive sweating; stiffness or cramps, muscle pain, weakness; involuntary loss of urine, difficulty in passing urine; prolonged and/or painful erection; difficulty controlling core body temperature or overheating, chest pain, and swelling of hands, ankles or feet.
In elderly patients with dementia, more fatal cases have been reported while taking aripiprazole. In addition, cases of stroke or "mini" stroke have been reported.
Additional side effects in children and adolescents: Adolescents aged 13 years and older experienced side effects that were similar in frequency and type to those in adults except that sleepiness, uncontrollable twitching or jerking movements, restlessness, and tiredness were very common (greater than 1 in 10 patients) and upper abdominal pain, dry mouth, increased heart rate, weight gain, increased appetite, muscle twitching, uncontrolled movements of the limbs, and feeling dizzy, especially when getting up from a lying or sitting position, were common (greater than 1 in 100 patients).
Reporting of side effects: If patient gets any side effects, he/she should talk to the doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this monograph. By reporting side effects, the patient can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.