ADHD Medicines (for Teens) – Nemours KidsHealth

What Is ADHD Medicine?

After someone is diagnosed with ADHD, doctors may prescribe medicine to treat it. Medicine doesn’t cure ADHD. But it does help boost the ability to pay attention, slow down, and have more self-control.

Why Do People Need ADHD Medicine?

Not everyone with ADHD needs medicine. But medicine can help most people with ADHD stay focused longer, listen better, and fidget less.

People also benefit from therapy to learn and practice skills like staying organized, managing schoolwork, or dealing with stress. Medicine isn’t a shortcut to mastering these skills. But it does help people stay focused on learning them.

How Does ADHD Medicine Work?

ADHD medicines improve attention by helping normal brain chemicals work better.

The medicines target two brain chemicals, dopamine and norepinephrine. These chemicals affect a person’s attention and concentration.

How Do People Take ADHD Medicine?

People with ADHD can take different medicines. All of them need a prescription, and most are taken by mouth. They’re available as a tablet that is swallowed, chewed, or dissolved, or capsules that can be swallowed or opened and sprinkled on food. Some come in a liquid or a patch that is placed on the skin.

People usually take ADHD medicines once or twice a day, depending on the medicine.

Stimulants

These medicines include methylphenidate (brand names include Ritalin, Concerta, Focalin, Daytrana), and amphetamines (e.g.,  Adderall, Dexedrine, Vyvanse).

Stimulants work as soon as you take them. How long they last depends on the medicine:

• Short-acting formulas last for about 3–6 hours.
• Long-acting formulas stay in the body for up to 12 hours. They can be helpful for people who have a long school day and need the medicine to stay focused for homework or after-school activities.

Non-stimulants

These medicines include atomoxetine (Strattera), clonidine (Kapvay), guanfacine (Intuniv), and viloxazine (Quelbree). Non-stimulants can take up to a few weeks to start working. Then, they work for 24 hours.

Before prescribing medicine, the health care team will ask if you are taking any other medicines. This includes over-the-counter medicines and supplements (like vitamins or herbal medicines). The care team will also want to know about your family’s medical history, especially if any family members had or have heart disease.

Doctors usually start by prescribing a low dose of a stimulant medicine. If you are taking a new ADHD medicine or dose, the doctor will want you and your parent to watch and see if the medicine helps.

People respond differently to medicines. If the first medicine doesn’t seem to work, even at the highest dose, then a doctor may try a different medicine. Some people need to take more than one ADHD medicine to get the best result.

What Else Can I Do?

You and your parents should watch for any
side effectsif you take a new ADHD medicine. Your doctor will adjust the dose and how often you take the medicine based on how much the medicine helps and if you have side effects.

You may need to go for several visits with the doctor over weeks or months to find the right medicine and dose. After that, the care team will want to see you every 3–6 months.

Going to all follow-up visits is important so the care team can check your height, weight, blood pressure, and heart rate. The care team will also monitor side effects and adjust the medicine dose, as needed.

To prevent problems, always do these things when taking ADHD medicine:

• Take the recommended dose.
• Take each medicine at the right time.
• Talk to a doctor before stopping the medicine or changing the dose.
• Keep all medicines in a safe place where others can’t get to them.
• Don’t give any of your medicine to anyone else.

Medicine is one part of treatment for ADHD. Treatment also can include therapy, parent support, and school support. Medicine works best when parents, teachers, and therapists help you learn any social, emotional, and behavioral skills that aren’t easy because of ADHD.

Are There Any Risks?

Like any medicine, ADHD medicines can have side effects. Not everyone gets side effects, though.

The most common side effects are loss of appetite and trouble sleeping. Other ADHD medicine side effects include jitteriness, irritability, moodiness, headaches, stomachaches, fast heart rate, and high blood pressure.

Side effects usually happen in the first few days of starting a new medicine or taking a higher dose. They often go away on their own after a few days or weeks as the body adjusts to the medicine.

If a side effect doesn’t go away, a doctor may decide to lower the dose or stop that medicine and try another. ADHD medicines only stay in the body for a few hours, so the side effects wear off as the medicine leaves the body.

Your health care team will give you more information about possible side effects for the medicine they prescribe. If you notice anything that worries you, tell your parent and talk to your doctor right away.

Some people don’t like the idea of taking medicine for ADHD. But the right medicine can make a big difference. Talk to your doctor if you have concerns. Ask questions. Your health care team can help you and your parent decide if trying a medicine for ADHD is right for you.

ADHD Medications List: Stimulants and Nonstimulants

Stimulants are the most common ADHD medications, but they don’t work for everyone. Non-stimulants have fewer side effects but take longer to work. Making certain lifestyle changes may also help reduce symptoms.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a mental health disorder that causes a range of symptoms.

These include:

• problems concentrating
• forgetfulness
• hyperactivity
• an inability to finish tasks

Medications can help decrease ADHD symptoms in children and adults. In fact, many drugs are available to treat ADHD.

While not every person with ADHD takes the same drugs, and treatment approaches can vary between children and adults, the following list of drugs for ADHD can help you talk to your doctor about the options that are right for you.

Stimulants are the most commonly prescribed medications for ADHD. They’re often the first course of drugs used for ADHD treatment.

You might hear this class of drugs called central nervous system (CNS) stimulant medications. They work by increasing the amounts of two neurotransmitter hormones called dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain.

This effect improves concentration and decreases the fatigue that’s common with ADHD.

Many brand-name stimulants are now only available as generic versions, which cost less and may be preferred by some insurance companies. However, other drugs are only available as brand-name products.

Amphetamines

Amphetamines are stimulants used for ADHD. They include:

• amphetamine
• dextroamphetamine
• lisdexamfetamine

They come in immediate-release (a drug that’s released into your body right away) and extended-release (a drug that’s released into your body slowly) oral forms. Brand names of these drugs include:

• Adderall XR (generic available)
• Dexedrine (generic available)
• Dyanavel XR
• Evekeo
• ProCentra (generic available)
• Vyvanse

Methamphetamine (Desoxyn)

Methamphetamine is related to ephedrine and amphetamine. It also works by stimulating the CNS.

It’s not known exactly how this drug works to help ADHD symptoms. Like other stimulants, methamphetamine may increase the amounts of hormones like dopamine and norepinephrine in your brain.

It can reduce your appetite and increase your blood pressure. This drug comes as an oral tablet taken once or twice per day.

Methylphenidate

Methylphenidate works by blocking the reuptake of norepinephrine and dopamine in your brain. This helps increase levels of these hormones.

It’s also a stimulant. It comes in immediate-release, extended-release, and controlled-release oral forms.

It also comes as a transdermal patch under the brand name Daytrana. Brand names include:

• Aptensio XR (generic available)
• Metadate ER (generic available)
• Concerta (generic available)
• Daytrana
• Ritalin (generic available)
• Ritalin LA (generic available)
• Methylin (generic available)
• QuilliChew
• Quillivant

Dexmethylphenidate is another stimulant for ADHD that’s similar to methylphenidate. It’s available as the brand-name medication Focalin.

Nonstimulants affect the brain differently than stimulants do. These drugs also affect neurotransmitters, but they don’t increase dopamine levels. In general, it takes longer to see results from these drugs than from stimulants.

These drugs come in several classes. A doctor might prescribe them when stimulants aren’t safe or are ineffective. They may also prescribe them if a person wants to avoid the side effects of stimulants.

Atomoxetine (Strattera)

Atomoxetine (Strattera) blocks the reuptake of norepinephrine in the brain. This lets norepinephrine work longer.

The drug comes as an oral form you take once or twice per day. This drug is also available as a generic.

Atomoxetine has caused liver damage in a small number of people. If you have signs of liver problems while taking this drug, your doctor will check your liver function.

Signs of liver problems include:

• a tender or swollen abdomen
• yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes
• fatigue

Clonidine ER (Kapvay)

Clonidine ER (Kapvay) is used to reduce hyperactivity, impulsiveness, and distractibility in people with ADHD. Other forms of clonidine are used to treat high blood pressure.

Because it also lowers blood pressure, people taking it for ADHD may feel lightheaded.

This drug is available as a generic.

Guanfacine ER (Intuniv)

Guanfacine is normally prescribed for high blood pressure in adults. This drug is available as a generic, but only the time-release version and its generics are approved for use in children with ADHD.

The time-release version is called Guanfacine ER (Intuniv).

This drug may help with memory and behavioral problems. It may also help improve aggression and hyperactivity.

Q&A

Are the same drugs that are used to treat ADHD in children used to treat adult ADHD?

Yes, in most cases. However, the dosages of many of these drugs are different for kids than they are for adults. Also, the side effects of these drugs are different in adults than they are in children. Your medical history can limit your treatment options. It’s important to talk to your doctor about your medical history to get an idea of which of these drugs is likely to work best for you.

— Healthline Medical Team

Answers represent the opinions of our medical experts. All content is strictly informational and should not be considered medical advice.

Was this helpful?

Your doctor may suggest other ADHD treatments along with medications.

For instance, a 2012 article said that changing your diet may alleviate some ADHD symptoms.

A 2014 study found that taking omega-3 supplements may also modestly improve symptoms in children with ADHD. However, newer research has found that diet changes may not improve ADHD symptoms. Further research is needed.

Talk to your doctor about your drug options as well as the alternatives, such as these natural remedies. It’s important to discuss all ADHD treatment options with your doctor to gain the best results.

Medicines, medicines, drugs | GxP News

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Medicinal products (drugs, drugs) – substances or their combinations that come into contact with the human or animal body, penetrate into the organs, tissues of the human or animal body, used for prevention, diagnosis (with the exception of substances or their combinations that do not come into contact with the human or animal body), treatment of a disease, rehabilitation, for the preservation, prevention or termination of pregnancy and obtained from blood, blood plasma, organs, tissues of the human or animal body, plants, minerals by synthesis methods or using biological technologies. Medicinal products include pharmaceutical substances and drugs.

Original medicinal product — a medicinal product containing a newly obtained pharmaceutical substance or a new combination of pharmaceutical substances, the efficacy and safety of which are confirmed by the results of preclinical studies of medicinal products and clinical trials of medicinal products

Source: 2010 N 61-FZ “On the circulation of medicines”

Medicinal product , medicinal product , medicinal product , medicinal product (novolat. praeparatum medicinale , 9 0046 praeparatum pharmaceuticum , medicamentum ; ) – a substance or mixture of substances of synthetic or natural origin in the form of a dosage form (tablets, capsules, solutions, ointments, etc.) used for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases.

Before being used in medical practice, medicinal products must undergo clinical trials and receive approval for use.

Original drugs and generics

An original drug is a drug that was previously unknown and was first released to the market by the developer or patent holder. As a rule, the development and marketing of a new drug is a very expensive and time-consuming process. Of the many known compounds, as well as newly synthesized ones, by enumeration, on the basis of databases on their properties and computer modeling of the proposed biological activity, substances with the maximum target activity are identified and synthesized. After animal experiments, in the case of a positive result, limited clinical trials are carried out on groups of volunteers. If the effectiveness is confirmed, and side effects are insignificant, the drug goes into production, and based on the results of additional tests, possible features of the action are clarified, undesirable effects are revealed. Often the most harmful side effects are found in clinical use. Currently, almost all new drugs are patented. The patent legislation of most countries provides for patent protection not only for the method of obtaining a new drug, but also for the patent protection of the drug itself.

In the Russian Federation, the term of a patent for an invention related to a medicinal product, the use of which requires obtaining permission in accordance with the procedure established by law, is extended by the federal executive authority for intellectual property at the request of the patent holder for a period calculated from the date of filing the application for the invention to the date of receipt the first such authorization to use, less five years. At the same time, the period for which the validity of a patent for an invention is extended cannot exceed five years. After the expiration of the patent, other manufacturers can reproduce and put on the market a similar drug (the so-called generic), if they prove the bioequivalence of the reproduced and original drugs. At the same time, the generic production technology can be any, but not subject to the existing patent protection in the country. Of course, the generic manufacturer cannot use the brand name for this drug, but only the international non-proprietary name (INN), or some new patented by him (synonym). Despite the new name in their medicinal action, the drugs can be similar or very close.

Are original drugs and generics fully equivalent? From the point of view of chemistry, the active substance is the same. But the production technology is different, different degrees of purification are possible. There are other factors as well. For example, it is known that for a long time different companies could not achieve the same effectiveness of acetylsalicylic acid (for a generic) as Bayer AG, the manufacturer of the original aspirin drug. It turned out that the matter was not only in the purity of the raw materials, but also in a special method of crystallization, which resulted in special, smaller crystals of acetylsalicylic acid. There can be many such nuances. The opposite result is also possible, when the generic is more successful than the original medicine.

Source: Wikipedia

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Common medicines containing aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or vitamin E

This information tells you which medications contain aspirin, other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), or vitamin E. These medications must be stopped before starting treatment for many types of cancer. These drugs affect platelets (blood cells that form clots to prevent bleeding) and may increase the risk of bleeding during treatment.

Other dietary supplements (such as other vitamins and herbal remedies) may also affect cancer treatment. For more information, read the resource Herbal Remedies and Cancer Treatment.

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Before cancer treatment

Tell your healthcare provider if you are taking aspirin, other NSAIDs, or vitamin E. You will be told if you need to stop taking these medicines. You can also find the instructions you need in your treatment materials. Read the Medication Examples section to see if your medications contain aspirin, NSAIDs, or vitamin E.

Before Your Surgery

If you are scheduled for surgery or a surgical procedure, follow the instructions below. If you have received other instructions from the health care provider, then follow them only.

• If you are taking aspirin and any medicines containing aspirin, you may need to change your dose or not take them for 7 days before surgery. Follow your health care provider’s instructions. Do not take aspirin until instructed to do so by your health care provider.
• If you are taking vitamin E or a vitamin E supplement, stop taking it 7 days before surgery or as directed by your health care provider.
• If you are taking an NSAID or medicine containing an NSAID, stop taking it 48 hours (2 days) before your surgery, or as directed by your health care provider.

Before your radiological procedures

If you are scheduled for radiological procedures, including interventional or general radiology procedures, interventional mammography, or medical imaging of the breast, follow the instructions below. If you have received other instructions from your healthcare provider, then follow them only.

• If you are taking aspirin and any medicines containing aspirin, you may need to stop taking them 5 days before your procedure. Follow your health care provider’s instructions. Do not take aspirin until instructed to do so by your health care provider.
• If you are taking NSAIDs and any medicines containing NSAIDs, you may need to stop taking them 24 hours (1 day) before your procedure. Follow your health care provider’s instructions.

Before and during chemotherapy

Chemotherapy can lower platelet counts, thereby increasing the risk of bleeding. If you are scheduled for chemotherapy or are already undergoing chemotherapy, check with your healthcare provider before you start taking aspirin, other NSAIDs, or vitamin E.

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Exemplary drugs

Drugs are often known by brand name. Because of this, it is difficult to understand what substances are included in their composition. The lists below can help you identify medications that contain aspirin, other NSAIDs, or vitamin E.

It includes the most common drugs, but there are others besides them. Be sure to tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, patches, and ointments.

Common medicines containing aspirin
Aggrenox ®	Cama ® arthritis pain reliever	Heartline ®	Tablets Robaxisal ®
Alka Seltzer ®	COPE ®	Headrin ®	Roxiprin ®
Anacin ®	Dasin ®	Isollyl ®	Saleto ®
Arthritis pain relievers	Easprin ®	Lanorinal ®	Salocol ®
Arthritis Foundation Pain Reliever ®	Ecotrin ® (most formulations)	Lortab tablets ® ASA	Sodol ®
ASA ® sheathed	Empirin ® Aspirin (most formulations)	Magnaprin ®	Soma ® Compound Tablets
ASA Suppositories ® (candles)	Epromate ®	Marnal ®	Soma ® Compound with Codeine Tablets
Ascriptin ® and Ascriptin A/D ®	Tablets Equagesic	Micrainin ®	St. Joseph ® Adult Chewable Aspirin
Aspergum ®	Equazine ®	Momentum ®	Supac ®
Asprimox ®	Excedrin ® Extra-Strength Analgesic Tablets and Caplets	Norgesic Forte ® (most formulations)	Capsules Synalgos ® -DC
Axotal ®	Excedrin ® Migraine (for migraine)	Norwich ® Aspirin	Tenol-Plus ®
Azdone ®	Fiorgen ®	PAC ® Analgesic Tablets	Trigesic ®
Bayer ® (most formulations)	Fiorinal ® (most formulations)	Orphengesic ®	Talwin ® Compound
BC ® Powder and Cold	Fiortal ®	Painaid ®	Vanquish ® Analgesic Caplets
Bufferin ® (most formulations)	Gelpirin ®	Panasal ®	Wesprin ® sheathed
Buffets II ®	Genprin ®	Tablets Percodan ®	Zee-Seltzer ®
Buffex ®	Gensan ®	Persistin ®	ZORprin ®

Most multivitamins contain vitamin E. If you are taking a multivitamin, check the label for ingredients.

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About acetaminophen

Acetaminophen (Tylenol ^® ) is generally safe to take during cancer therapy. It does not affect platelets, so it does not increase the risk of bleeding. However, if you are undergoing chemotherapy, check with your healthcare provider before taking acetaminophen.

Medicines containing acetaminophen
Acephen ®	Esgic ®	Percocet ®	Vanquish ®
Aceta ® with Codeine	Excedrin P.M. ®	Primlev ®	Vicodin ®
Acetaminophen with Codeine	Fiorcet ®	Repan ®	Wygesic ®
Aspirin-Free Anacin ®	Lorcet ®	Roxicet ®	Xartemis XR ®
Arthritis Pain Formula ® (without aspirin)	Lortab ®	Talacen ®	Xodol ®
Datril ®	Naldegesic ®	Tempra ®	Zydone ®
Di-Gesic ®	Norco ®	Tylenol ®
Endocet ®	Panadol ®	Tylenol ® with Codeine No. 3

Read the labels of all your medicines carefully.

Acetaminophen is safe when used as directed. But there is a daily norm of this medicine, which should not be exceeded. You may be taking too much acetaminophen unknowingly, as it is found in many prescription and over-the-counter medications. It is often found in pain medications, fever and sleeping pills, and cough, cold, and allergy medicines.

Sometimes the full name of acetaminophen is not listed on the label. The most common abbreviations are listed below, especially in prescription pain medications.

Always read the labels on the medicines you take carefully and follow the directions.