Subutex is a drug that was approved by the FDA in 2002 for the treatment of opioid dependence. It is typically utilized as an agent in opioid replacement therapy to help individuals transition off of more potent (often illicit) opioidergic drugs such as oxycodone and heroin. In other words, an individual who was previously ingesting …
Prozac (Fluoxetine) is a drug that was synthesized by Eli Lilly in the 1970s and approved by the FDA for the treatment of depression in 1987. Many regard Prozac as being the single most popular antidepressant medication of all time. As a result of its popularity, when a layman of the general public discusses antidepressants, …
Seroquel (Quetiapine) is a medication that was developed by AstraZeneca from 1992 through 1996. It received FDA approval in 1997 for the treatment of schizophrenia, and has since received approval to treat both acute mania and depressive phases of bipolar disorder. The drug is classified as an atypical, second-generation antipsychotic and exerts pharmacological effects via …
Abilify (Aripiprazole) is a medication that was developed by Otsuka Pharmaceuticals and approved by the FDA in 2002 for the treatment of schizophrenia. Approximately 2 years thereafter (in 2004) it was approved for the treatment of acute mania and mixed episodes associated with bipolar disorder. By 2007, it had attained approval for the treatment of …
Ambien (Zolpidem) is a popular medication prescribed for the treatment of insomnia. It is classified as a “nonbenzodiazepine” due to the fact that it shares a similar mechanism of action with benzodiazepines, but differs in its chemical structure. Ambien delivers its sedative, hypnotic (sleep-inducing) effects by modulating receptors of GABA (gamma-amino-butyric-acid). It specifically functions primarily …
Vyvanse (Lisdexamfetamine) is a psychostimulant medication manufactured by Shire Pharmaceuticals for the treatment of ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder). Many consider Vyvanse to be a “new and improved” successor of the drug Adderall. Vyvanse contains the ingredient Lisdexamfetamine which is pharmacologically inactive until metabolized; hence being classified as a “prodrug.” The fact that Vyvanse is a prodrug …
Effexor (Venlafaxine) is a SNRI (serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor) medication prescribed primarily for the treatment of major depressive disorder. It was initially introduced to the market by Wyeth in 1993 when it became the first dual-reuptake inhibitor to attain FDA approval for depression. It differed from the SSRIs in that in addition to solely inhibiting reuptake …