Does Vraylar (cariprazine) cause weight gain?

Vraylar (cariprazine), like other atypical antipsychotic drugs, can cause metabolic changes that cause weight gain.

How much weight might I gain while taking Vraylar?

• The average weight gain in patients with schizophrenia was 2.2 lbs (1.0 kg) after 6 weeks of treatment with Vraylar in clinical trials, compared with those receiving placebo who gain 0.7 lbs (0.3 kg). Long-term results show that the average weight gain in patients with schizophrenia was 2.6 lbs (1.2 kg), 3.7 Ibs (1.7 kg) and 5.5 Ibs (2.5 kg) after 12, 24 and 48 weeks of Vraylar treatment in clinical trials, respectively.
• The average weight gain in patients with bipolar depression was 1.2 lbs (0.5 kg) after 6 or 8 weeks of treatment with Vraylar in clinical trials, compared with those receiving placebo who lost 0.2 lbs (0.1 kg).
• The average weight gain in patients with bipolar mania was 1.1 lbs (0.5 kg) after 3 weeks of treatment with Vraylar in clinical trials, compared with those receiving placebo who gained 0.4 lbs (0.2 kg).
• The average weight gain in patients receiving Vraylar as an add-on treatment for major depressive disorder in clinical trials was 3.7 Ibs (1.7 kg) after 26 weeks. In the long-term trial, 19% of patients demonstrated a ≥7% increase in body weight, and 5% demonstrated a ≥7% decrease in body weight.

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How does Vraylar compare when it comes to weight gain?

An international panel of clinicians with real-world experience of Vraylar has reported that weight gain is not a particularly problematic side effect of Vraylar. They also noted that weight gain was less of a troublesome side effect leading to treatment discontinuation with Vraylar, than it was for other antipsychotics.

How should I monitor weight gain while taking Vraylar?

It is recommended that people taking Vraylar monitor their weight when they first start taking Vraylar (at baseline) and frequently while taking the drug.