Citation

Christensen AP, Boegevig S, Christensen MB, Petersen KM, Dalhoff KP, Petersen TS. Basic Clin. Pharmacol. Toxicol. 2018; 122(2): 293-298.

Affiliation

Faculty of Health and Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Nordic Pharmacological Society, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/bcpt.12902

PMID

28881461

Abstract

The aim of this study was to characterize the clinical signs and symptoms of exposures to aripiprazole overdoses. We retrospectively identified all aripiprazole exposures reported to the Danish Poisons Information Center (DPIC) from June 2007 to May 2015. Information concerning demographics, ingested dose and symptoms were extracted from the DPIC database and medical records. Information on death and admission to hospital was obtained from Danish national registers. We analysed 239 cases, 86 concerning single-drug exposures to aripiprazole, and 153 cases where aripiprazole had been taken with at least one other substance (mixed-drug). The median ingested aripiprazole dose was 105 mg (IQR; 50-1680 mg) in the single-drug exposure group and 120 mg (IQR; 60-225 mg) in the mixed-drug exposure group. The most commonly reported symptom was light sedation, reported in 63% of single-drug group and 50% in the mixed-drug exposure group. There were no malignant arrhythmias or ECG abnormalities following single-drug exposures. No deaths were recorded in relation to the intake We found a long-term mortality rate of 13 deaths per 1000 person years (95% CI: 7; 23 per 1000 person years), which is significantly higher than in an age and gender-matched population. In conclusion, we found that aripiprazole overdoses had few and mild symptoms predominantly related to the sedative properties. We detected a benign cardiovascular safety profile and no new safety concerns. Our findings may support an increased threshold of 300 mg for hospital admission following a single-drug exposure with aripiprazole and symptoms not worse than light sedation. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Language: en