According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, up to 7 percent of school aged children are diagnosed with ADHD. Research published by the American Journal of Psychiatry in 2005 indicates that a pharmaceutical treatment is the most cost-effective approach to treating ADHD, although a combination of pharmaceutical treatment and behavioral therapy is the most effective method of treating ADHD. There are several different kinds of pharmaceutical options available; if you suspect ADHD, talk to your doctor about treatment options.
Psychostimulants
Psychostimulants are the most common type of medication for ADHD. Dexedrine, Desoxyn, Adderall, Ritalin, Metadate CD, Focalin, Concerta, and Cylert, are some of the more common commercial names for medications that fall under this category. According to the Clinical Handbook of Psychotropic Drugs, all psychostimulants have been found to be equally effective and take approximately one week to go into effect. Although the most common indication for these medications is ADHD, they can also be used to treat Parkinson's disease, narcolepsy and obesity.
Selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor
Similar to psychostimulants, Strattera is an ADHD medication that increases dopamine and norepinephrine in the frontal cortex. However, Strattera does not increase dopamine in other areas of the brain. Because dopamine is not increased in areas outside the frontal cortex, Strattera is less likely to be abused and is not considered a controlled substance. Although this medication can take up to four weeks to go into effect, it is a good option for individuals who have difficulty with substance abuse, eating disorders, or are otherwise at risk if provided with the more traditional psychostimulant ADHD medication.
Antidepressants (Off Label)
According to the Clinical Handbook of Psychotropic Drugs, some medications approved for the treatment of depression also have been shown to be effective for ADHD symptoms, although the use of these medications for ADHD remains "off-label" at this point in time. In particular, Wellbutrin has been used to control ADHD symptoms in both children and adults. In addition, Effexor and Manerix, also used to treat depression, have shown to be effective at increasing attention and concentration in preliminary studies.
References
- "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision", American Psychiatric Association; 2000
- "Clinical Handbook of Psychotropic Drugs, 15th edition"; Bezchlibnyk and Jeffried (Eds.); 2005
- "American Journal or Psychiatry"; Cost-Effectiveness of ADHD Treatments: Findings From the Multimodal Treatment Study of Children With ADHD; Jenson et al; 2005.
