What should I consider and how do I change or switch a patient from a different long acting injectable medication (LAI) to Abilify Maintena?

When changing or switching from a different LAI to aripiprazole LAI (Abilify Maintena), stop the current LAI and follow the guidance for using Abilify Maintena, including this guidance with regard to establishing tolerability. Detailed protocols for switching between LAIs have not been established, but it is recommended that there is oral overlap of 1-2 weeks when switching to aripiprazole LAI (Abilify Maintena). Therefore, prescribers should stop the previous LAI and initiate the new LAI (Abilify Maintena) when possible.

When thinking about the dose of the new LAI, exact equivalent dosages between antipsychotics are not known. Additionally, side effects can vary substantially between antipsychotic medications. A meta-analysis of dosage curves found the following dosages to have similar efficacy in patients who had success on each medication.

FDA medication label

• Information on this topic is found in the FDA medication label. Here is the most recent label, at time of writing.
• Medication labels can be found by searching Drugs@FDA at the FDA website. Labels are also available using the Drugs@FDA app for Apple or Android devices. Labels change over time, and the current label should always be consulted.

REFERENCES

• Stahl, S. M. (2017). The prescriber’s guide: Stahl’s essential psychopharmacology (6^th ed.). New York: Cambridge University Press.

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