acamprosate vs aripiprazole
Side-by-side comparison of acamprosate and aripiprazole Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
Campral
Abilify
Acamprosate is a medicine that can help you stay away from alcohol if you are alcohol-dependent and have already stopped drinking. It should be used with counseling and support.
Aripiprazole (Abilify) is a medicine used to treat certain mental disorders and mood problems. It can help to improve your mood, thinking, and behavior.
Acamprosate helps people who are alcohol-dependent to not drink alcohol. You must have already stopped drinking before you start taking acamprosate. This medicine works best when it is part of a complete treatment plan that includes counseling and support.
Aripiprazole is used to treat schizophrenia in adults and teens. It also treats irritability in children with autism. Additionally, it can treat Tourette's disorder.
Acamprosate is similar to a natural substance in your brain. It is thought to work by helping to restore the normal balance of brain activity that is changed by long-term alcohol use. This can reduce your craving for alcohol.
Aripiprazole works by affecting the levels of certain chemicals in the brain. These chemicals, like dopamine and serotonin, can affect mood and behavior. By balancing these chemicals, aripiprazole helps to reduce symptoms of mental health conditions.
- • Accidental injury
- • Weakness
- • Pain
- • Loss of appetite
- • Diarrhea
- • Nausea
- • Vomiting
- • Constipation
- • Headache
- • Dizziness
- Low blood pressure 14
- Weakness 13
- Condition worsened 13
- Using the medicine for something it is not approved for 13
- Sudden kidney damage 12
- The medicine is not working 8,141
- Gaining weight 7,698
- Using the medicine for a condition it is not approved for 7,393
- Using the medicine for a condition it is not approved for 5,248
- Feeling worried or nervous 4,995
Acamprosate may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts or actions. Your doctor should watch you for depression or suicidal thoughts. Tell your doctor right away if you have any new or worsening symptoms of depression or suicidal thoughts.
Aripiprazole may increase the risk of death in elderly patients who have psychosis related to dementia. It is not approved for this use. Antidepressants may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in children, teens, and young adults. Watch closely for worsening mood or suicidal thoughts.
Acamprosate may harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if acamprosate passes into breast milk. Talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding.
If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, talk to your doctor. Aripiprazole may cause withdrawal symptoms or other problems in newborns if taken during the third trimester. There is a pregnancy registry for women who take aripiprazole during pregnancy.
Also Compare — Nearby Drugs
Compare aripiprazole with
How to Read This acamprosate vs aripiprazole Comparison
acamprosate is classified in the GABA Analog (Alcohol Dependence) drug class, while aripiprazole sits within the Atypical Antipsychotic class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, acamprosate has 65 submissions while aripiprazole has 33,475. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume — not per-patient risk — so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. No direct interaction between these two drugs is listed in our FDA-derived dataset, though co-prescription still warrants pharmacist review. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between acamprosate and aripiprazole — always consult your physician or pharmacist first.
Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.