aripiprazole vs ziprasidone
Side-by-side comparison of aripiprazole and ziprasidone Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
Abilify
Geodon
Aripiprazole (Abilify) is a medicine used to treat certain mental disorders and mood problems. It can help to improve your mood, thinking, and behavior.
Ziprasidone is a medicine used to treat mental disorders. It helps to balance chemicals in the brain to improve mood and behavior.
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.
Ziprasidone treats schizophrenia in adults. It also treats manic or mixed episodes of bipolar I disorder, either alone or with lithium or valproate. This medicine can help manage mood swings and improve overall mental well-being.
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.
Ziprasidone is an atypical antipsychotic. It works by affecting certain chemicals in the brain, like dopamine and serotonin. By balancing these chemicals, it helps to reduce symptoms of mental illness.
- • Nausea
- • Vomiting
- • Constipation
- • Headache
- • Dizziness
- • Feeling sleepy
- • Respiratory tract infection
- • Extrapyramidal symptoms (movement problems)
- • Dizziness
- • Restlessness
- 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
- The medicine is not working 1,350
- Gaining weight 1,176
- Diabetes 1,003
- Feeling anxious 875
- Type 2 diabetes 859
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.
This medicine may increase the risk of death in elderly patients who have psychosis related to dementia. Ziprasidone is not approved to treat dementia-related psychosis. Talk to your doctor about the risks if you are an elderly patient with dementia.
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.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Babies born to mothers who use this medicine in the last 3 months of pregnancy may have withdrawal symptoms after birth. There is a pregnancy registry, call 1-866-961-2388.
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How to Read This aripiprazole vs ziprasidone Comparison
aripiprazole is classified in the Atypical Antipsychotic drug class, while ziprasidone sits within the Atypical Antipsychotic class. Because both drugs share the same classification, they are often considered interchangeable in theory — but clinical outcomes rarely track that cleanly. 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, aripiprazole has 33,475 submissions while ziprasidone has 5,263. 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 aripiprazole and ziprasidone — 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.