Leaflet: information for the user

Apaloz 20 mg buccal dispersible tablets

aripiprazol

Read this leaflet carefully before you start taking this medicine, as it contains important information for you.

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

1. What Apaloz is and for what it is used

2. What you need to know before starting to take Apaloz

3. How to take Apaloz

4. Possible side effects

5. Storage of Apaloz

6. Contents of the pack and additional information

This medication contains the active ingredient aripiprazol and belongs to a group of medications known as antipsychotics. It is used to treat adults and adolescents 15 years of age or older who suffer from a condition characterized by symptoms such as hearing, seeing, and feeling things that do not exist, distrust, false beliefs, incoherent speech, and monotony of emotional and behavioral state. People in this state may also feel depressed, guilty, anxious, or tense.

Aripiprazol is used to treat adults and adolescents 13 years of age or older who suffer from a disorder characterized by symptoms such as feeling euphoric, having excessive energy, needing much less sleep than usual, speaking 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 aripiprazol.

Do not take Apaloz

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

Warnings and precautions

Consult your doctor before starting to take this medicine.

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

Before starting treatment with this medicine, tell your doctor if you have:

• high blood sugar levels (characterized by excessive thirst, increased urine production, increased appetite, and feeling weak) 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), a 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 addiction to gambling.

If you notice that you are gaining weight, developing unusual movements, experiencing drowsiness that interferes with your 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 the person caring for you or a 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. Cases of patients experiencing suicidal thoughts and behaviors during treatment with aripiprazole have been reported.

Talk to your doctor immediately if you notice numbness or stiffness of the muscles with high fever, sweating, altered 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 in you and cannot resist the impulse, instinct, or temptation to carry out certain activities that may harm you or others. This is known as impulse control disorder and may include behaviors such as addiction to gambling, excessive intake or spending, abnormally high sex drive, or excessive concern about an increase in sexual thoughts and feelings.

Your doctor may consider adjusting or interrupting the dose.

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

Children and adolescents

Do not use this medicine in children and adolescents under 13 years old. Its safety and effectiveness in these patients are unknown.

Other medicines and Apaloz

Inform your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have taken recently, or may need to take any other medicine, including over-the-counter medicines.

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

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

• medicines to correct heart rhythm (such as quinidine, amiodarone, flecainide);
• antidepressants or plant-based medicines used to treat depression and anxiety (such as fluoxetine, paroxetine, venlafaxine, St. John's Wort);
• medicines to treat fungal infections (antifungals) (such as ketoconazole, itraconazole);
• certain medicines to treat HIV infection (such as efavirenz, nevirapine, and protease inhibitors such as, for example, indinavir, ritonavir);
• anticonvulsants used to treat epilepsy (such as carbamazepine, phenytoin, phenobarbital);
• certain antibiotics used to treat tuberculosis (rifabutin, rifampicin).

These medicines may increase the risk of adverse effects or reduce the effect of aripiprazole; if you observe any unusual symptoms when taking any of these medicines at the same time as aripiprazole, you should inform your doctor.

Medicines that increase serotonin levels are generally used to treat 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 to treat diseases such as depression, generalized anxiety disorder, OCD, and social phobia, as well as migraine and pain;
• selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) (such as paroxetine and fluoxetine) used to treat 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 diseases;
• St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) used in plant-based medicines for mild depression;
• analgesics (such as tramadol and pethidine) used to relieve pain;
• triptans (such as sumatriptan and zolmitriptan) used to treat migraine.

These medicines may increase the risk of adverse effects; if you observe any unusual symptoms when taking any of these medicines at the same time as aripiprazole, you should inform your doctor.

Taking Apaloz with food, drinks, and alcohol

This medicine can be taken regardless of meals.

Alcohol consumption should be avoided.

Pregnancy, breastfeeding, and fertility

If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or if you think you may be pregnant, consult your doctor or pharmacist before using this medicine.

The following symptoms may occur in newborn babies, from 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, 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, do not breastfeed. Talk to your doctor about the best way to feed your baby if you are taking this medicine.

Driving and operating machinery

Aripiprazole may cause symptoms such as drowsiness, dizziness, or visual disturbances, and may decrease your reaction time. These effects, as well as the underlying disease, may make it difficult for you to drive vehicles or operate machinery. Therefore, do not drive, operate machinery, or engage in other activities that require special attention, until your doctor assesses your response to this medicine.

Apaloz contains aspartame

This medicine contains 5,940 mg of aspartame in each tablet.

Aspartame contains a source of phenylalanine that may be harmful in the case of phenylketonuria (PKU), a rare genetic disease in which phenylalanine accumulates because the body is unable to eliminate it correctly.

Follow exactly the administration instructions of this medication indicated by your doctor or pharmacist. In case of doubt, consult your doctor or pharmacist again.

The recommended dose for adults is 15 mg once a day.However, your doctor may prescribe lower and 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 tothe 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 estimate that the action of this medication is too strong or too weak, inform your doctor or pharmacist.

Try to take this medication at the same time every day. It does not matter if you take it with or without food.

Do not open the blister pack until you are about to take it. To take a tablet, open the package and remove the aluminum from the blister pack, leaving the tablet visible. Do not press the tablet through the aluminum as this could damage it. Once the blister pack is opened, with dry hands, take the tablet and place the buccal dispersible tablet completely on the tongue. The disintegration of the tablet occurs quickly with saliva. The buccal dispersible tablet can be taken with or without liquid. Another option is to dissolve the tablet in water and drink the resulting suspension.

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

If you take more Apaloz than you should

If you realize that you have taken more aripiprazole than your doctor recommended (or if someone else has taken part of your aripiprazole), contact your doctor immediately. If you cannot communicate with your doctor, go to the nearest hospital and bring the package with you.

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

• rapid heartbeats, agitation/aggressiveness, 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 rigidity and drowsiness, slower breathing, choking, high or low blood pressure, abnormal heart rhythms.

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

In case of overdose, consult your doctor or pharmacist or call the Toxicological Information Service, Phone: 91 562 04 20, indicating the medication and the amount ingested.

If you forgot to take Apaloz

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

If you interrupt treatment with Apaloz

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

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

Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everyone will experience them.

Frequent side effects (may affect up to 1 in 10 people):

• diabetes mellitus;
• sleep problems;
• anxiety;
• restlessness and inability to stay still, difficulty staying seated;
• akathisia (an uncomfortable feeling of restlessness and an overwhelming need to move constantly)
• involuntary movements, twisting, contorting, or spasmodic movements;
• tremors;
• headaches;
• fatigue;
• drowsiness;
• dizziness;
• shaking and blurred vision;
• difficulty passing stools or decreased frequency of bowel movements (constipation);
• indigestion;
• nausea;
• increased saliva production;
• vomiting;
• feeling tired.

Less frequent side effects (may affect up to 1 in 100 people):

• increased or decreased levels of prolactin hormone in the blood;
• excessively high blood sugar levels;
• depression;
• altered or increased sex drive;
• involuntary movements of the mouth, tongue, and limbs (tardive dyskinesia);
• muscle disorder causing twisting movements (dystonia);
• restless legs;
• double vision;
• eye sensitivity to light;
• rapid heartbeat;
• low blood pressure when standing, causing dizziness, fainting, or loss of consciousness;
• hypotension.

The following side 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);
• appearance or worsening of diabetes, ketoacidosis (ketones in the blood and urine), or coma;
• high blood sugar;
• insufficient sodium levels in the blood;
• loss of appetite (anorexia);
• weight loss;
• weight gain;
• suicidal thoughts, attempted suicide, and suicide;
• aggression;
• agitation;
• nervousness;
• combination of fever, muscle rigidity, 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 intense feelings of happiness, drowsiness, clumsiness, restlessness, feeling drunk, fever, sweating, or muscle rigidity);
• speech disorder;
• fixation of the eyeballs in a position;
• sudden and unexplained death;
• potentially fatal irregular heartbeat;
• heart attack;
• slow heart rate;
• blood clots in the veins, especially in the legs (symptoms include swelling, pain, and redness of the leg), which can travel through the blood vessels to the lungs, causing chest pain and difficulty breathing (if you experience any of these symptoms, seek immediate medical attention);
• high blood pressure;
• fainting;
• accidental inhalation of food, which can lead to pneumonia (lung infection);
• spasms of the muscles around the glottis (a part of the larynx);
• pancreatitis;
• difficulty swallowing;
• diarrhea;
• abdominal discomfort;
• stomach upset;
• liver failure;
• inflammation of the liver;
• yellowing of the skin and the white part of the eyes;
• abnormal liver enzyme levels in blood tests;
• hives;
• skin sensitivity to light;
• excessive sweating;
• severe allergic reactions, such as drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS syndrome). DRESS syndrome initially presents as pseudogripal symptoms with facial rash, and later with generalized rash, high fever, swollen lymph nodes, elevated liver enzyme levels observed in blood tests, and increased eosinophil count;
• abnormal muscle degradation that can cause kidney problems;

• muscle pain;
• rigidity;
• involuntary loss of urine (incontinence);
• difficulty urinating;
• withdrawal symptoms in newborns exposed to the medication during pregnancy;
• prolonged and/or painful erection;
• difficulty controlling central body temperature or overheating;
• chest pain;
• swollen hands, ankles, or feet;
• in blood tests: increased or fluctuating blood sugar levels, increased hemoglobin A1c;
• 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 sex drive and concerning behavior for yourself or others, such as increased sex drive;
• uncontrollable excessive buying;
• binge eating (eating large amounts of food in a short period) or compulsive eating (eating more food than normal and more than needed to satisfy hunger);
• tendency to wander.

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

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

Other side effects in children and adolescents

Adolescents aged 13 years or older experienced side effects similar in frequency and type to those of adults, except for drowsiness, involuntary spasms or contractions, restlessness, and fatigue, which were very frequent (affects 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 getting up from a lying or sitting position, which were frequent (affects up to 1 in 10 patients).

Reporting side effects

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

Keep this medication out of the sight and reach of children.

This medication does not require special storage conditions.

Do not use this medication after the expiration date that appears on the packaging after CAD.

The expiration date is the last day of the month indicated.

Medications should not be disposed of through drains or in the trash. Dispose of packaging and unused medications at the SIGRE collection point at the pharmacy. If in doubt, ask your pharmacist how to dispose of unused packaging and medications. By doing so, you will help protect the environment.

Composition of Apaloz

• The active principle is aripiprazol. Each buccal dispersible tablet contains 20 mg of aripiprazol.
• The other components (excipients) are maltose, microcrystalline cellulose, anhydrous colloidal silica, crospovidone, aspartame (E951), ethyl vanillin, iron oxide red (E172), and magnesium stearate.

Appearance of the product and content of the packaging

Apaloz 20 mg is presented in the form of buccal dispersible tablets of pink color, round of 9 mm in diameter and scored.

The score serves only to break and facilitate swallowing, but not to divide into equal doses.

Each package contains 28 tablets conditioned in blisters of Polyamide/Al/PVC-Al.

Holder of the marketing authorization and responsible for manufacturing

Laboratorios Alter, S.A.

C/ Mateo Inurria, 30

28036 Madrid

Spain

Last review date of this leaflet:

February 2023

Other sources of information

The detailed information of this medicine is available on the website of the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Medical Devices (AEMPS):http://www.aemps.gob.es/.