ADHD: What Everyone Needs to Know? by Stephen P. Hinshaw & Katherine Ellison

Author:Stephen P. Hinshaw & Katherine Ellison
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Published: 2015-10-01T21:00:00+00:00

sist of blood pressure medications that work in different ways to boost the influence of norepinephrine in the brain and body.

These include clonidine, under the brand name Catapres, and guanfacine, marketed as Estulic, Tenex, and in the extended release form as Intuniv. Both have been shown to help improve focus and self-control for people with ADHD who may have

102 ADHD

trouble tolerating stimulants. These latter medications are also sometimes used in combination with stimulants, to help people with ADHD who have difficulty when the stimulants wear

off at the end of the day without impairing their sleep.

What are the Side Effects of ADHD Medications?

Like all medicines, stimulants produce side effects. The

boosted influence of dopamine supports alertness and wake-

fulness, a desired goal when you need to study for hours on end but a problem when you need to sleep. In other words,

a common side effect of these medications is loss of sleep, behooving clinicians to carefully monitor the dosage levels and timing of doses. Stimulants also commonly sup-

press appetite, which is why they used to be prescribed as

diet pills. Mild stomachaches and headaches are fairly com-

mon, particularly as the body first adjusts to the medication.

Stimulants affect the peripheral nervous system, slightly

speeding up heart rates and lifting blood pressure by a few points. People with histories of cardiac problems need to be monitored closely when taking these medications. For growing children who take pills over long time periods, ADHD

medications may reduce their ultimate height by as much as

an inch, probably because excess dopamine activity slows

down release of growth hormone. Recent research has pro-

duced mixed findings about the duration of this impact, with some studies showing growth suppressed only temporarily and others revealing a more persistent effect, at least in some cases.

The most common side effects of stimulants, including loss

of appetite and sleeplessness, often diminish after the first few weeks that someone takes the medication, particularly if doctors work with families and adult patients to calculate optimal formulas, dosages, and timing.

At higher than normal doses, the stimulants can have serious consequences including obsessive behavior, hallucinations,

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