Gabapentin (Neurontin) is a medication that was developed as a treatment for neuropathic pain and as an adjunct for seizures. It is also commonly prescribed off-label for conditions such as: restless leg syndrome, hot flashes, migraines, and even anxiety disorders. In fact, an estimated 9/10 prescriptions for the drug are for off-label conditions. The drug …
Gabapentin is a drug that was approved by the FDA in 1993 as an adjunct treatment for epileptic seizures. It has since attained approval for the treatment of partial seizures in adults and children. In addition to its mechanism as an antiepileptic drug, Gabapentin functions as an analgesic, and was approved in 2004 for the …
Namenda (Memantine) is a drug that was approved by the FDA in 2003 for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Research suggests that Namenda has a small effect in reducing symptoms among those diagnosed with moderate or severe cases of Alzheimer’s. It appears to have no significant effect when administered to individuals diagnosed with milder cases …
Subutex and Suboxone are drugs that were approved by the FDA in 2002 for the treatment of opioid dependence. Both drugs contain the active ingredient buprenorphine, a semisynthetic opioid that acts as primarily as a partial mu-opioid receptor agonist. Buprenorphine also acts as an antagonist at the kappa and delta opioid receptors. Buprenorphine’s mechanism of …
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. …
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 …