Advances in Medications:

Over the past ten years the greatest advances in ADHD medicines have not been the development of some wonder drug, though some good medications have been developed. Rather the most important advances in ADHD medications have been the with the improvement of, and greater variety of the delivery systems of the time tested drugs for ADHD.

Because of these recent advances, the time tested methylphenidate comes in four different delivery forms:

• Pills
• Pumps
• Pellets
• Patches

And the newest development in ADHD medication also begins with the letter “P”. The development of the Pro-Drug Vyvanse is also a good step forward.

Pills are still in use for Ritalin and a few other forms of methylphenidate, but they are best suited for shorter acting doses of medications. But a three to four hour dose of Ritalin creates problems for a child in school having to get to the second dose at lunch. So the “holy grail” of stimulant development has always been an effectively released long lasting dosing mechanism.

The pump system was developed with Concerta, and it is an effective time release delivery system. A pellet system was used for ADDerall XR by Shire which is also an effective time release system.

The patch delivery system of methylphenidate is sold as Daytrana. It delivers the medication through the skin, and lasts most of the day as well. No more swallowing of pills, pellets, or pumps.

The new medication is the pro-drug Vyvanse, which is a combination of methylphenidate, bound with a lysene molecule, so that the medicine is ineffective (inert?) until it reaches the stomach or intestines and is digested. Then the medication is released. The ingenuity in this is that the drug cannot be abused by teens or college students who want to snort Ritalin. It only works after you swallow it.

Of course Strattera is a newer ADHD drug. It is not a stimulant, but is a highly selective norepinepherine re-uptake inhibitor, which works well with a broad spectrum of ADHD symptoms (it may be most effective with Inattentive ADHD kids with some degree of anxiety or depression). Strattera is the first FDA approved non-Stimulant for children and adults

Intuniv is a newer medication for the treatment of ADHD in children and teens that gained its approval from the FDA and was available to pharmacies in November, 2009. Intuniv is not a stimulant medication, and may be helpful to the estimated 25-30% of children with ADHD who do not benefit from stimulant medications. Instead, Intuniv is a form of Guanfacine (Tenex) which has been used for years as a blood pressure medication in adults, and has also been used as an adjunct medication in the treatment of ADHD individuals with temper or anger problems, or oppositional defiant disorder. Now in the form of Intuniv, this medication seems to have a wider range of symptoms that benefit from its use than just anger or oppositional behavior. It appears that Intuniv is very targeted, working in the pre-frontal cortex to help the brain to increase the available supply of glutamate, and excitatory neurotransmitter.

ADHD is among the most treatable of psychiatric disorders thanks to the recent advances in ADHD medications.

Others Opinions on ADHD Medicines

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