The more potent form of methylphenidate, Focalin, comes in a four-hour tablet and an eight-hour capsule. Methylphenidate also comes in a chewable tablet (Methylin Chew) and a liquid (Methylin Oral).
ADD MEDICATION FOR ADULTS PATCH
Methylphenidate comes in a 12-hour capsule called Concerta and in a trans-dermal patch called Datrana. The capsule can be opened and sprinkled on food if needed. The tablet must be taken whole it cannot be cut or crushed. There is an 8-hour tablet (called Metadate CD) and an 8-hour capsule (called Ritalin LA). These tablets might come in the brand name (Ritalin) or in the generic form (methylphenidate). This product has always been available in a tablet form, each lasting about four hours. Thus, a pharmaceutical company patented dextro-methylphenidate as a new product, Focalin. The dextro form of the medication was found to be potent and the levo form found to be much less potent. (It is unclear if Adderall is more effective than dextro-amphetamine.) Another example: methylphenidate (Ritalin) was analyzed with polarized light. Later, a pharmaceutical company decided to mix the dextro and levo forms of amphetamine with “other salts,” creating Adderall. Thus, dextro-amphetamine became the medication of choice. For example, when the amphetamine medications were studied, it was found that the dextro form was potent and that the levo form had little effectiveness. The right image is called the “dextro” form and the left image is called the “levo” form of the medication. When crystals of a medication are looked at through polarized light, two different images are seen. Adderall is also available in a form that modifies how it is absorbed and activated, Vyvance.Īnother confusion relates to what is referred to as the polarization characteristics of each medication.
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Methylphenidate is also available in a trans dermal patch, Datrana. Then, there are generic forms of each medication, each of which may have its own name. Each may be given a different name by the company making it. And, each pharmaceutical company advertises their specific product as the best treatment.Įach of these medications may be available as a four-hour tablet, an eight-hour tablet, and an eight-hour capsule. The confusion for parents is that each new product is given what is called a “trade name,” suggesting that it is a new medication. Each comes in different strengths and different release mechanisms. There are three main medications within this group of stimulant medications: methylphenidate (Ritalin), dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine), and a mixture of several amphetamine salts (Adderall). Thus, it is helpful to explain the many medications available. There are so many medications advertised for ADHD that parents can easily become confused. The stimulant medications are most frequently used and will be reviewed in this article. (They are called stimulants because they stimulate nerve cells to produce more of the deficient neurotransmitter not because they stimulate or arouse the individual.) There are a few non-stimulant medications that might be used if the stimulants are not successful. The group of medications called “stimulants” are most successful in treating ADHD. This article reviews the medications currently available to treat ADHD.
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Any medication that increases the level of this neurotransmitter in the areas of the brain involved with ADHD will significantly reduce the behaviors associated with ADHD. This transmitter is norepinephrine or one of its building blocks, dopamine or dopa. ADHD is a neurological disorder resulting from a deficiency of a specific neurotransmitter in specific areas of the brain.