How long does Abilify stay in your system? (5 factors to consider)

In this article, we will discuss the approximate time taken by Abilify (aripiprazole) to leave your system. We will also discuss some factors that can affect the stay time of Abilify in your body and how one can ensure the safe and effective use of this medication.

How long does Abilify stay in your system?

Abilify typically stays in your system for about 16 days (1,2). Abilify is an atypical antipsychotic medication used to treat various symptoms of mania or psychosis. This drug typically takes 375 hours to be eliminated from your body after your last dose. 

If you continue to take this medication every day, the drug doesn’t leave your system, and the concentration is maintained in your body, which is important to achieve your therapeutic goal. 

It is important to note that medications like Abilify should not be taken intermittently unless advised otherwise by your doctor. These medications can affect your brain chemistry, and you need to ensure their safe use to make the most out of your treatment. 

Abilify is a generally well-tolerated medication, taken either in the morning or at night. If you have any concerns about Abilify, please contact your healthcare provider.

What is the half-life of Abilify?

Abilify is a long-acting drug with a half-life of about 75 hours (1,2). This means that this antipsychotic takes up to 75 hours to reduce its initial concentration to half. This process continues, and the concentration keeps dropping down to its half every 75 hours until the drug is completely eliminated from the body. 

It typically takes 5 half-lives for a drug to leave your system, indicating that Abilify can take up to 375 hours (16 days) to exit your body (1,2). However, it is important to note that this time duration can vary from person to person. Some people may metabolise this drug at a different rate based on various factors that may affect their health.

What factors can affect the stay time of Abilify in your system?

Various factors can affect the stay time and overall duration of action of Abilify. These include: (3)

Age

Age can affect the duration of Abilify’s stay time in the system. Elderly individuals may experience variations in how their bodies process medications, as compared to younger individuals. 

Dose

The quantity of Abilify taken can also affect the time taken by your body to eliminate this drug. Higher doses mean it takes longer for the body to break it down and clear it out.

Underlying health conditions

The overall health of an individual can also affect the time taken by Abilify to leave the system. Individuals with hepatic insufficiency can take much longer to process the medication as compared to those with normal liver functioning. Certain other underlying factors may also affect an individual’s ability to process meds.

Concomitant use of other medications 

The concomitant use of other medications with Abilify can also affect the time taken by this antipsychotic med to leave your body. Certain drugs may slow down or speed up the metabolism of Abilify, affecting its overall duration of action and stay time in the system. 

So, it is important to discuss all the medications you take, even the OTC meds, herbal drugs or supplements, with your healthcare provider. This ensures safe medication use and prevents any potential drug-drug interaction. 

Genetic factors

Genetic factors can also affect how you process medications, each individual is unique and can metabolise drugs differently. So, some people may naturally take more or less time to process Abilify. 

How to ensure the safe and effective use of Abilify?

The following points are important to ensure the safe and effective use of Abilify: (3,4)

• Take Abilify as your healthcare provider has recommended. Do not skip your doses or take your medication intermittently unless advised otherwise by your provider.

• Keep an eye out for side effects. If anything concerns you or if you’re experiencing unusual or rare side effects, reach out to your doctor.

• Make sure you do not stop the medication abruptly. Doing so can increase the risk of withdrawal symptoms which might not be easy to deal with, especially if you’ve been using Abilify for a while now.

• If you’re on other meds, let your provider know. Some medications can interact with Abilify, so make sure all your medications work well together.

• Attend follow-up appointments to ensure that your treatment plan is going well and whether there is any adjustment required.

As a pharmacist, I always recommend ensuring safe and effective use of medications, especially meds like Abilify that can affect your brain functions. Psychosis is not an easy condition to manage, as our brains regulate each and everything – including our physical and emotional processing. 

Any illness that upsets the brain is crucial to manage properly. So, make sure you take Abilify as properly as you possibly can. Take it at the same time and in the same way to maintain a steady drug concentration in your system. 

If anything about your treatment plan concerns you or if you think your Abilify dosage needs to be adjusted, please reach out to your healthcare provider.

References

1. Gettu N, Saadabadi A. Aripiprazole. 2023 May 16. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan–. PMID: 31613519. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK547739

2. PubChem [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US), National Center for Biotechnology Information; 2004-. PubChem Compound Summary for CID 60795, Aripiprazole; [cited 2023 Aug. 7]. Available from: https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Aripiprazole

3. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA). HIGHLIGHTS OF PRESCRIBING INFORMATION. ABILIFY (Aripiprazole). Available from: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2014/021436s038,021713s030,021729s022,021866s023lbl.pdf

4. LABEL: ABILIFY- aripiprazole tablet. DailyMed [Internet]. Available from: https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/getFile.cfm?setid=217e52b5-3a7b-4bbe-af3c-b18de7d426c3&type=pdf