Brexpiprazole

Drug Class:	Commonly Known As:	Category:

Brexpiprazole - What is it for

Brexpiprazole belongs to a class of medications known as atypical (second-generation) antipsychotics. It is used to treat and prevent the return of symptoms in Schizophrenia and other mental health related conditions such as:

Hearing, seeing or sensing things that are not real
Having mistaken beliefs
Uncontrolled anger
Being overly suspicious

It can also be used to treat symptoms of depression (low mood) (in combination with other medications) such as:

Feelings of sadness
Feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness
Feeling bad about yourself
Suicidal thoughts
Poor sleep, energy or appetite

Brexpiprazole may also be used for other conditions. Check with your healthcare professional if you are unsure why you are given this medication.

Brexpiprazole - Side Effects, Precautions, and Contraindications

What side effects can Brexpiprazole cause?

The mentioned side effects generally affect up to 10% of patients.

Nausea, stomach discomfort

Take this medication with or after food
Take simple meals and avoid rich or spicy foods

Dry mouth

Chew sugar-free gum, suck on sugar-free hard candies or ice chips, sip water regularly

Constipation

Drink more water (if not on fluid-restricted diet), eat more high-fibre foods, and exercise regularly
Speak to your doctor or pharmacist if you need a medication to help with your constipation

Diarrhoea

Drink plenty of water to replace the loss of fluids

Difficulty sleeping

Discuss with your doctor if you can take this medication at a different time of the day
Avoid daytime naps, listen to relaxing music at bedtime
Avoid overeating or drinking before bedtime
Limit caffeine intake at least 8 hours before bedtime

Light-headedness (especially during a sudden change in posture)

Get up slowly from a sitting or lying down position

Feeling tired or drowsy

Discuss with your doctor if you can take this medication at a different time of the day
Avoid driving or engaging in activities requiring concentration

Headache

Speak to your doctor if it becomes bothersome

Involuntary shaking of limbs (tremors) and/or restlessness or need to keep moving constantly (akathisia)

Speak to your doctor if it affects your daily life

Increase appetite, weight gain

Observe healthy dietary habits and exercise regularly

Inflammation of the nose or throat (nasopharyngitis)

Speak to your doctor if it becomes bothersome

Most of the side effects listed here will improve with time. Speak to your doctor if they continue, get worse or are affecting your daily life.

Rarely this medication may cause:

High fever, severe muscle stiffness, confusion, irregular blood pressure (signs and symptoms of neuroleptic malignant syndrome)
Muscle stiffness and spasms (such as in the face, neck and back), difficulty in speaking or swallowing, twitching, or upward rolling of eyes (symptoms of dystonia)
Uncontrollable movements such as in the face, tongue, jaw or other parts of the body (tardive dyskinesia)
Fainting episodes
Sudden weakness or numbness in the face, arms or legs, and speech or vision problems
Excessive hunger, unusual increase in thirst or passing large amount of urine (symptoms of high blood sugar)
Blurred vision
Seizures (fits)
Strong, uncontrollable urges and behaviours such as gambling, excessive eating, shopping or having sex
Fever, sore throat and/or mouth ulcers that do not go away (symptoms of blood dyscrasias)
Increased prolactin hormone in the body (hyperprolactinemia):

Changes in menstrual cycle in females (Irregular or stopping of menstrual periods) and/or
Abnormal breast swelling, soreness or secretion (in both men and women)
Speak to your doctor for further management

The symptoms of a drug allergy include one or more of the following:

Swollen face/eyes/lips/tongue
Difficulty in breathing
Itchy skin rashes over your whole body

If you experience any of these side effects, you should stop your medication and inform your healthcare professional immediately.

Please also take note that not all possible side effects are listed above. If you have any concerns about your medication, please consult your doctor or pharmacist.

Before taking Brexpiprazole , what precautions must I follow?

Inform your healthcare professional if:

You are allergic to this medication or any of the other ingredients of this medication
You are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding. If you are pregnant and/or breastfeeding, your doctor would have discussed the potential benefits and side-effects with you and should you have further questions or concerns, do consult your doctor.
You are taking any other medications including over-the-counter medications, supplements, traditional Chinese medicine and herbal remedies. Some of them may affect how this medication works or cause serious drug interactions.
You have diabetes. Brexpiprazole may sometimes worsen blood glucose control in diabetes. Maintain regular check-ups with your doctor.
You have or have ever had:

Other drug allergies
Medical conditions such as:

Heart, kidney or liver disease, stroke
Dementia, seizure (fits), high or low blood pressure, high cholesterol/fats in the blood, swallowing difficulties, blood disorders

IMPORTANT:

In some cases, particularly in young people below the age of 25 years, this medication may cause the following changes to a person’s mental condition, especially in the first few weeks of treatment or during dose changes:

New or worsening thoughts of harming yourself or ending your life
Worsening agitation, restlessness, violent behaviour, or
Other changes in mood or behaviour

Please inform your doctor as soon as possible, or for your family or caregiver to inform your doctor if you are unable to seek treatment on your own.

Do not stop taking this medication on your own without discussing with your doctor.

It is important to note that your doctor has prescribed this medication as he/ she feels you will benefit more from taking this medication over the possible risks that it may cause, which have a low chance of occurring, and most people take this medication without any of such problems.

What food or medicine must I avoid when I take Brexpiprazole ?

Avoid drinking alcohol while taking this medication as it can cause excessive drowsiness.

Brexpiprazole - Dosage and How to Use

How should Brexpiprazole be used?

Follow the instructions on your medication label and take this medication as prescribed by your doctor.
This medication may be taken with or without food.
This medication needs to be taken regularly for a few weeks before you feel its full benefits. You should not stop taking this medication even if you do not feel better at the beginning. Continue to take this medication even after you feel better to prevent your symptoms from returning.
Do check with your doctor on how long you will have to be on this medication.
Do not stop taking your medication without checking with your healthcare professional.

What should I do if I miss a dose?

If you forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose. Then take the next dose at your usual timing. Do not take two doses to make up for the missed dose.