ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) is a condition characterized by inability to concentrate and often comorbid hyperactive behaviors. It is considered the most common psychiatric disorder among children and adolescents (affecting approximately 5%) and is fairly common among adults (affecting approximately 4%). Individuals with ADHD may face serious difficulties completing projects, studying at school, holding a steady …
Adderall is a well-known medication used to treat ADHD that has been on the market since 1996. Years after its initial approval, Shire Pharmaceuticals developed an “extended-release” format of the drug called “Adderall XR.” This format of the drug was launched in 2001 as a means to provide extended relief from attentional-deficits spanning up to …
Vyvanse (Lisdexamfetamine) is a drug developed by Shire Pharmaceuticals as a successor to Adderall. Vyvanse was first approved for the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in 2007. In 2015, Vyvanse was approved for binge eating disorder and was found to successfully minimize appetite and number of binge eating episodes per week compared to a placebo. …
Dexedrine is a psychostimulant drug primarily used to treat severe cases of ADHD and narcolepsy. The active ingredient in Dexedrine is “dextroamphetamine” which is regarded as the “right-handed” stereoisomer of the molecule amphetamine. Dextroamphetamine is considered a popular military stimulant, and has been utilized throughout history such as in World War II to offset fatigue …
Methylphenidate is considered the first medication approved for the treatment of the condition known as “hyperactivity” in the 1960s. As attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder gained more mainstream attention in the 1990s, the number of diagnoses continued to skyrocket, increasing the demand for new treatments. By the year 1996, mixed amphetamine salts (i.e. Adderall) were approved for the …
Provigil (modafinil) is a drug that was approved in 1998 for the treatment of excessive daytime sleepiness associated with narcolepsy. It has since been granted FDA approval for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea as well as shift work sleep disorder. Adderall (mixed amphetamine salts) is a psychostimulant drug that was initially approved in 1996 …
Nuvigil and Provigil are both drugs that were approved by the FDA for the treatment of excessive daytime sleepiness. Both drugs act as eugeroics and are considered “wakefulness-promoting agents” in that they are distinct from more potent, habit-forming psychostimulants (e.g. Adderall). Provigil was initially approved in the late 1990s to help treat narcolepsy. Although the drug …