A New ADHD
Drug on the Horizon.
A new ADHD drug, Attenace, will likely hit pharmacy shelves in
early 2006. This "new" ADHD drug isn’t actually so new to the
about 20,000 people currently taking
Provigil "off-label" for
ADHD. Attenace contains modafinil, the same active ingredient in
the narcolepsy drug Provigil.
Modafinil is a stimulant drug that is chemically unrelated to the
other stimulant ADHD medications. Although Attenace is a stimulant
medication, it is not classified as a controlled substance under
the Controlled Substance Act. This translates to the convenience
of phone-in refills and less prescription hassles at the pharmacy.
Attenace has a different chemical structure but it still poses
many side effects consistent with the side effects of the other
stimulant ADHD medications. There are also a few new side effects,
like sexual dysfunction, that adults might find less than
pleasant.
Before you knock on your doctor's door asking for a prescription,
there are a few things you should know about this new ADHD
medication.
First, it is not known how well Attenance will work or how it
compares in effectiveness to the current ADHD drugs since the
three trials conducted on Attenace only compared Attenace to a
placebo instead of to its potential competitors. Cephalon
conducted three 9-week double-blind, placebo-controlled studies of
more than 600 children and adolescents between the ages of six and
17 with ADHD. Cephalon reports that Attenace "significantly
improved" the symptoms of ADHD in children and adolescents, when
compared to placebo, in three studies of the drug.
Secondly, Attenace (modafinil) has side effects ranging from
mildly disturbing to potentially life-threatening. Given the
relatively small test sampling to date, Attenace side effects are
not fully known at this point. It can be assumed that Attenace
will have similar side effects to Provigil since they are made
from the same drug.
Below are a listing of common Provigil (modafinil) side effects.
_ Headache.
_ Blurred vision.
_ Dry mouth.
_ Nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain.
_ Constipation or diarrhea.
_ Sleep disturbances/insomnia.
_ Loss of appetite/weight loss.
_ Stuffy nose.
_ Back pain.
_ Confusion.
_ Anxiety and agitation.
_ Nervousness, aggression, hostility.
_ Unstable moods.
_ Depression.
_ Decreased sex drive.
_ "Pins and Needles" feeling.
_ Rash or itching.
_ Dizziness.
_ Widening of blood vessels.
_ Weakness or loss of strength.
_ High/increased blood pressure.
_ Alteration in results of liver function tests.
_ Chest pain.
_ Increased heart rate.
_ Drug dependence.
_ Allergic reaction.
Attenace may be habit forming and has the potential for abuse and
dependence . You should discuss the abuse and dependence potential
of Attenace with your doctor. This drug should not be taken by
anyone who has been or currently is dependent on alcohol or drugs.
Symptoms of an Attenace overdose might include excitation,
agitation, insomnia, sleep disturbances, anxiety, irritability,
aggressiveness, confusion, nervousness, tremor, palpitations,
nausea, and diarrhea.
Contact your doctor immediately or seek emergency medical
attention if you experience any of the following uncommon but
serious side effects:
_ An allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of the
throat; swelling of the lips, tongue, or face; or hives).
_ Irregular heartbeats.
_ Low or high blood pressure.
_ Shortness of breath.
Before taking Attenace, tell your doctor if you have;
_ Left ventricular hypertrophy.
_ Chest pain.
_ Irregular heartbeats.
_ History of heart attack.
_ High blood pressure.
_ Unstable angina.
_ History of mental illness.
_ Kidney disease
_ Liver disease.
Attenace, along with all other ADHD medications currently on the
market, is not recommended for children under the age of six since
its safety and effectiveness has not been determined. Despite ADHD
drug manufacturer's own labels warning against prescribing these
powerful drugs to young children, doctors increasingly prescribe
ADD medications to children under the manufacturer recommended
age.
A Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) article in
2000 noted a "disturbing" increase in the amount of stimulants and
anti-depressants prescribed for children under the age of five.
Parents should carefully consider the health effects of placing
small children on powerful ADHD medications, even if the child's
health care provider prescribes a medication for ADHD or ADD.
People using ADHD medications know that these little pills are
never the "cure-all" answer. Attention Deficit requires a
multifaceted approach which requires many different tactics and
combination of tactics. What works is highly individual, depending
on individual needs.
Many people with Attention Deficit Disorder and parents of
children with Attention Deficit Disorder find great Attention
Deficit Disorder and ADHD success from
diet supplementation
-
especially with amino acids and essential fatty acids - a shift in
parenting tactics, modifying the home and school environment,
biofeedback, neuro-linguistic programming, stress relief measures
and exercise. The greatest successes are found by being bold and
trying a combination of many measures.
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