Aripiprazole belongs to atypical antipsychotic medication of the so-called third generation, with a mechanism of action different from most antipsychotic drugs available. Its receptor action profile contributes to relatively good tolerance and low risk of metabolic complications. The high level of safety of aripiprazole was described in multiple groups of patients – the elderly and patients suffering from diabetes as well as kidney, liver and heart diseases. Furthermore, an increasing number of studies show that the drug used in the population of pregnant women was not linked to a clinically significant risk of major birth defects. At present, aripiprazole is mainly used in the treatment of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and recurrent treatment-resistant depression and occupies a significant position in the recommendations for the treatment regimens for these diseases. In persons with mental illness, somatic diseases frequently coexist (among them, the metabolic syndrome and diabetes) and the inclusion of aripiprazole therapy may result in an additional improvement in metabolic parameters. The literature data suggest that polytherapy with the use of aripiprazole (especially in combination with such atypical drugs as olanzapine, clozapine or risperidone) can bring tangible benefits for patients with schizophrenia. Its clinical utility is significant in the context of the difficulties encountered in the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder – the lack of cooperation on the part of the patients with respect to drug consumption and the coexistence of numerous somatic ailments in both diseases.