ARIPIPRAZOLE VIR 5 mg TABLETS

Introduction

Package Leaflet: Information for the User

Aripiprazole Vir 5 mg Tablets EFG

Read the entire package leaflet carefully before starting to take this medication, as it contains important information for you.

• Keep this package leaflet, as you may need to read it again.
• If you have any questions, consult your doctor or pharmacist.
• This medication has been prescribed to you only, and you should not give it to others, even if they have the same symptoms as you, as it may harm them.
• If you experience side effects, consult your doctor or pharmacist, even if they are not listed in this package leaflet. See section 4.

Contents of the Package Leaflet:

1. What is Aripiprazole Vir and what is it used for
2. What you need to know before taking Aripiprazole Vir
3. How to take Aripiprazole Vir
4. Possible side effects
5. Storage of Aripiprazole Vir
6. Package Contents and Additional Information

1. What is Aripiprazole Vir and what is it used for

Aripiprazole Vir belongs to a group of medications called antipsychotics.

It is used to treat adults and adolescents aged 15 years or older who suffer from a disease characterized by symptoms such as hearing, seeing, and feeling things that do not exist, distrust, false beliefs, incoherent speech, and emotional and behavioral monotony. People in this state may also feel depressed, guilty, restless, or tense.

Aripiprazole is used to treat adults and adolescents aged 13 years or older who suffer from a disorder characterized by symptoms such as feeling euphoric, having excessive energy, needing to sleep much less than usual, talking very quickly with flight of ideas, and sometimes severe irritability. In adults, it also prevents this situation in patients who have responded to treatment with aripiprazole.

2. What you need to know before taking Aripiprazole Vir

Do not take Aripiprazole Vir

• if you are allergic to aripiprazole or any of the other components of this medication (listed in section 6).

Warnings and Precautions

Consult your doctor before starting to take Aripiprazole Vir.

There have been reports of patients experiencing suicidal thoughts and behaviors during treatment with aripiprazole. Inform your doctor immediately if you have thoughts or feelings of harming yourself.

Before starting treatment with Aripiprazole Vir, tell your doctor if you suffer from:

• High blood sugar levels (characterized by symptoms such as excessive thirst, increased urine production, increased appetite, and feeling of weakness) or a family history of diabetes.
• Seizures, as your doctor may want to monitor you more closely.
• Irregular and involuntary muscle movements, especially in the face.
• Cardiovascular diseases (heart and circulation diseases), family history of cardiovascular disease, stroke, or "mini" stroke, abnormal blood pressure.
• Blood clots or a family history of blood clots, as antipsychotics have been associated with the formation of blood clots.
• A history of gambling addiction.

If you notice that you are gaining weight, developing unusual movements, experiencing drowsiness that interferes with your normal daily activities, having difficulty swallowing, or experiencing allergic symptoms, please inform your doctor.

If you have dementia (loss of memory and other mental abilities), you or your caregiver or family member should inform your doctor if you have ever had a stroke or "mini" stroke.

Talk to your doctor immediately if you have thoughts or feelings of harming yourself. There have been reports of patients experiencing suicidal thoughts and behaviors during treatment with aripiprazole.

Talk to your doctor immediately if you notice numbness or stiffness of the muscles with high fever, sweating, changes in mental state, or a very fast or irregular heartbeat.

Inform your doctor if you, your family, or caregiver notice that you are developing impulses or urges to behave in an unusual way and cannot resist the impulse, instinct, or temptation to carry out certain activities that may harm you or others. This is called impulse control disorder and may include behaviors such as gambling addiction, excessive eating or spending, abnormally high sexual appetite, or concern about an increase in sexual thoughts and feelings.

Your doctor may consider adjusting or interrupting the dose.

Aripiprazole may cause drowsiness, low blood pressure when standing up, dizziness, and changes in the ability to move and maintain balance, which could lead to falls. Caution should be exercised, especially if you are an elderly patient and have some weakness.

Children and Adolescents

Do not use this medication in children and adolescents under the age of 13. It is not known if it is safe and effective in these patients.

Other Medications and Aripiprazole Vir

Inform your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken, or may need to take any other medication, including those obtained without a prescription.

Medications that lower blood pressure: aripiprazole may increase the effect of medications used to lower blood pressure. Make sure to inform your doctor if you are using any medication to control blood pressure.

If you are taking this medication with another medication, it may mean that your doctor needs to change your dose of aripiprazole or the other medication. It is especially important that you mention to your doctor if you are taking:

• Medications to correct heart rhythm (such as quinidine, amiodarone, flecainide)
• Antidepressants or herbal remedies used to treat depression and anxiety (such as fluoxetine, paroxetine, venlafaxine, St. John's Wort)
• Medications to treat fungal infections (antifungals such as ketoconazole, itraconazole)
• Certain medications to treat HIV infection (such as efavirenz, nevirapine, and protease inhibitors, e.g., indinavir, ritonavir)
• Anticonvulsants used to treat epilepsy (such as carbamazepine, phenytoin, phenobarbital)
• Certain antibiotics used to treat tuberculosis (rifabutin, rifampicin)

These medications may increase the risk of producing side effects or reduce the effect of aripiprazole; if you notice any unusual symptoms when taking any of these medications with aripiprazole, you should inform your doctor.

Medications that increase serotonin levels are commonly used in diseases that include depression, generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and social phobia, as well as migraine and pain:

• Triptans, tramadol, and tryptophan used for diseases such as depression, generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and social phobia, as well as migraine and pain.
• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) (such as paroxetine and fluoxetine) used for depression, OCD, panic, and anxiety.
• Other antidepressants (such as venlafaxine and tryptophan) used in severe depression.
• Tricyclic antidepressants (such as clomipramine and amitriptyline) used in depressive illnesses.
• St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) used in herbal remedies for mild depression.
• Pain relievers (such as tramadol and pethidine) used to relieve pain.
• Triptans (such as sumatriptan and zolmitriptan) used to treat migraine.

These medications may increase the risk of side effects; if you notice any unusual symptoms when taking any of these medications with aripiprazole, you should inform your doctor.

Taking Aripiprazole Vir with Food, Drinks, and Alcohol

This medication can be taken independently of meals.

Alcohol consumption should be avoided.

Pregnancy, Breastfeeding, and Fertility

If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, think you may be pregnant, or plan to become pregnant, consult your doctor or pharmacist before using this medication.

The following symptoms may occur in newborn babies of mothers who have been treated with aripiprazole in the last trimester of pregnancy (last three months of pregnancy): tremors, stiffness, and/or muscle weakness, drowsiness, agitation, breathing problems, and difficulty feeding. If your baby develops any of these symptoms, you should contact your doctor.

If you are taking aripiprazole, your doctor will discuss with you whether you should breastfeed your baby, considering the benefit to you of your treatment and the benefit to your baby of breastfeeding. If you are being treated with aripiprazole, you should not breastfeed. Talk to your doctor about the best way to feed your baby if you are taking this medication.

Driving and Using Machines

During treatment with this medication, you may feel dizzy or have vision problems (see section 4).

This should be taken into account when maximum attention is required, for example, when driving or operating machinery.

Aripiprazole Vir Contains Lactose

If your doctor has told you that you have an intolerance to certain sugars, consult with them before taking this medication.

This medication contains less than 1 mmol of sodium (23 mg) per tablet, which is essentially "sodium-free".

3. How to Take Aripiprazole Vir

Follow the instructions for administration of this medication exactly as indicated by your doctor or pharmacist. If you are unsure, consult your doctor or pharmacist again.

The recommended dose for adults is 15 mg once a day.However, your doctor may prescribe lower or higher doses up to a maximum of 30 mg once a day.

Use in Children and Adolescents

This medication should be started with the oral solution (liquid) at a low dose. The dose can be gradually increased to the recommended dose for adolescents of 10 mg once a day. However, your doctor may prescribe lower or higher doses up to a maximum of 30 mg once a day.

If you think the effect of aripiprazole is too strong or too weak, inform your doctor or pharmacist.

Try to take the aripiprazole tablet at the same time each day. It does not matter if you take it with or without food. Always take the tablets with water and swallow them whole.

Even if you feel better, do not change or interrupt the daily dose of aripiprazole without consulting your doctor first.

If you take more Aripiprazole Vir than you should

In case of overdose or accidental ingestion, consult your doctor or pharmacist immediately or call the Toxicology Information Service, phone: 91.562.04.20, indicating the medication and the amount ingested.

Patients who have taken too much aripiprazole have experienced the following symptoms:

• Fast heartbeat, agitation/aggression, language problems;
• Unusual movements (especially of the face or tongue) and decreased level of consciousness.

Other symptoms may include:

• Acute confusion, seizures (epilepsy), coma, a combination of fever, rapid breathing, sweating;
• Muscle stiffness and drowsiness, slower breathing, choking, high or low blood pressure, abnormal heart rhythms.

Contact your doctor or the nearest hospital immediately if you experience any of the above symptoms.

If you forget to take Aripiprazole Vir

If you forget a dose, take the missed dose as soon as you remember, but do not take a double dose to make up for the missed dose.

If you stop taking Aripiprazole Vir

Do not stop treatment just because you feel better. It is important that you continue taking aripiprazole for the time your doctor has indicated.

If you have any further questions about the use of this medication, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

4. Possible Adverse Effects

Like all medications, this medication can cause adverse effects, although not all people suffer from them.

Frequent Adverse Effects (may affect up to 1 in 10 patients):

• diabetes mellitus;
• sleeping problems;
• anxiety;
• akathisia (feeling of restlessness and inability to remain still, difficulty staying seated);
• torsion, contortion, or spasmodic uncontrollable movements;
• tremor;
• headache;
• fatigue;
• drowsiness;
• dizziness;
• shivering and blurred vision;
• difficulty evacuating or decreased frequency of bowel movements (constipation);
• indigestion;
• discomfort;
• ;
• increased saliva production;
• vomiting;
• feeling of fatigue.

Uncommon Adverse Effects (may affect up to 1 in 100 patients):

• increase or decrease in prolactin hormone levels in blood;
• excessively high blood sugar levels;
• depression;
• altered or increased sexual interest;
• uncontrollable movements of the mouth, tongue, and limbs (tardive dyskinesia);
• muscular disorder causing torsion movements (dystonia), restless legs;
• double vision;
• ocular photosensitivity;
• accelerated heartbeat;
• drop in blood pressure when standing up, causing dizziness, drowsiness, or fainting;
• hypo.

The following adverse effects have been reported during the post-marketing phase of oral aripiprazole, but the frequency of occurrence is unknown

• low white blood cell count;
• low platelet count;
• allergic reaction (e.g., swelling in the mouth, tongue, face, and throat, itching, and redness);
• onset or worsening of diabetes, ketoacidosis (ketones in blood and urine), or coma;
• high blood sugar;
• insufficient sodium levels in blood;
• loss of appetite (anorexia);
• weight loss;
• weight gain;
• suicidal thoughts, attempted suicide, and suicide;
• aggression;
• agitation;
• nervousness;
• combination of fever, muscle stiffness, rapid breathing, sweating, decreased consciousness, sudden changes in blood pressure and heart rate, and fainting (neuroleptic malignant syndrome);
• seizures;
• serotonin syndrome (a reaction that can cause feelings of intense happiness, drowsiness, clumsiness, restlessness, feeling drunk, fever, sweating, or muscle stiffness);
• speech disorder;
• fixation of the eyeballs in a position
• sudden unexplained death;
• potentially fatal irregular heartbeat;
• heart attack;
• slower heartbeat;
• blood clots in the veins, especially in the legs (symptoms include swelling, pain, and redness of the leg), which can travel through the bloodstream to the lungs, causing chest pain and difficulty breathing (if you notice any of these symptoms, seek medical attention immediately);
• high blood pressure;
• fainting;
• accidental inhalation of food with risk of pneumonia (lung infection);
• muscle spasms around the glottis (a part of the larynx);
• pancreatitis;
• difficulty swallowing;
• diarrhea;
• abdominal discomfort;
• stomach upset;
• liver failure;
• liver inflammation;
• yellowing of the skin and the white part of the eyes;
• abnormal liver values in blood tests;
• rash;
• skin sensitivity to light;
• hair loss;
• excessive sweating;
• severe allergic reactions, such as drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS). Initially, DRESS appears as flu-like symptoms with a rash on the face and later with a prolonged rash, high temperature, swollen lymph nodes, increased liver enzyme levels in blood tests, and increased eosinophilia
• abnormal muscle breakdown that can cause kidney problems;
• muscle pain;
• stiffness;
• involuntary loss of urine (incontinence);
• difficulty urinating;
• symptoms of withdrawal in newborns due to exposure to medication during pregnancy;
• prolonged and/or painful erection;
• difficulty controlling body temperature or overheating;
• chest pain;
• swollen hands, ankles, or feet;
• in blood tests: fluctuation of blood sugar levels, increased hemoglobin glycosylated;
• inability to resist the impulse, instinct, or temptation to perform an action that may be harmful to yourself or others, which may include:
• • strong impulse to gamble excessively despite serious personal or family consequences;
  • altered or increased sexual interest and worrying behavior for yourself or others, for example, increased sexual appetite;
  • uncontrollable excessive shopping;
  • binge eating (ingesting large amounts of food in a short period) or compulsive eating (ingesting more food than normal and more than necessary to satisfy hunger);
  • tendency to wander.

Inform your doctor if you experience any of these behaviors; he will explain how to manage or reduce the symptoms.

In elderly patients with dementia, a higher number of fatal cases have been reported while taking aripiprazole. Additionally, cases of stroke or "mini" stroke have been reported.

Other Adverse Effects in Children and Adolescents

Adolescents 13 years or older experienced adverse effects similar in frequency and type to those of adults, except for drowsiness, spasms, or uncontrollable contractions, restlessness, and fatigue, which were very frequent (affecting more than 1 in 10 patients), and upper abdominal pain, dry mouth, increased heart rate, weight gain, increased appetite, muscle fasciculations, involuntary movements of the limbs, and dizziness, especially when standing up after being seated or lying down, which were frequent (affecting up to 1 in 100 patients).

Reporting Adverse Effects

If you experience any type of adverse effect, consult your doctor or pharmacist, even if it is a possible adverse effect that does not appear in this prospectus. You can also report them directly through the Spanish Pharmacovigilance System for Human Use Medicines: https://www.notificaram.es. By reporting adverse effects, you can contribute to providing more information on the safety of this medication.

5. Storage of Aripiprazol Vir

Keep this medication out of sight and reach of children.

Do not use this medication after the expiration date shown on the packaging after CAD. The expiration date is the last day of the month indicated.

Medications should not be thrown away through drains or into the trash. Deposit the packaging and medications you no longer need in the SIGRE Point of the pharmacy. In case of doubt, ask your pharmacist how to dispose of the packaging and medications you no longer need. This way, you will help protect the environment.

6. Package Contents and Additional Information

Composition of Aripiprazol Vir

• The active ingredient is aripiprazole. Each tablet contains 5 mg of aripiprazole.
• The other components are potato starch glycolate, microcrystalline cellulose, lactose monohydrate, hydroxypropyl cellulose, magnesium stearate.

Appearance of the Product and Package Contents

Round (approximately 5 mm) and white tablets. Engraved with "ARZ" on one side and 5 on the other.

Perforated single-dose aluminum blister pack (OPA/Aluminum/PVC/Aluminum) in boxes of 10, 14, 28, 30, 49, 50, 56, 98, or 100 tablets.

Only some package sizes may be marketed.

Marketing Authorization Holder and Manufacturer

Marketing Authorization Holder

Industria Química y Farmacéutica VIR, S.A.

C/ Laguna 66-70, Polígono Industrial URTINSA II

28923 Alcorcón (Madrid)

Spain

Manufacturers

Industria Química y Farmacéutica VIR, S.A.

C/ Laguna 66-70, Polígono Industrial URTINSA II

28923 Alcorcón (Madrid)

Spain

or

Synthon S.R.O

Brnenska 32/cp. 597 67801

Blansko, Czech Republic

or

Synthon Hispania S.L

Castello 1, Polígono Las Salinas

Sant De Llobregat (Barcelona), Spain

This medication is authorized in the member states of the European Economic Area under the following names:

Netherlands Aripiprazol Synthon 5 mg, tablets

Finland Aripiprazole Avansor 5 mg tablets

Spain Aripiprazol Vir 5 EFG tablets

Date of the last revision of this prospectus: May 2023

Detailed information about this medication is available on the website of the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS) https://www.aemps.gob.es/