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ADHD Medication Chart

*Class*	*Drug Name*	*Form*	*Duration*	*Common Side Effects*
Amphetamine Stimulants	Adderall	Short-acting	4-6 hours	Some loss of appetite, weight loss, sleep problems, irritability, tics. Short-acting medicines require frequent dosing.
	Dexedrine	Short-acting	4-6 hours
	Dextrostat	Short-acting	4-6 hours
	Dexedrine Spansule	Long-acting	6-8 hours	Some loss of appetite, weight loss, sleep problems, irritability, tics. Long-acting medicines are convenient but may have greater effects on appetite and sleep.
	Adderall XR	Long-acting	8-12 hours
	Vyvanse	Long-acting	10-12 hours
Methylphenidate Stimulants	Focalin	Short-acting	4-6 hours	Some loss of appetite, weight loss, sleep problems, irritability, tics. Short-acting medicines require frequent dosing.
	Methylin	Short-acting	3-4 hours
	Ritalin	Short-acting	3-4 hours
	Metadate ER	Intermediate-acting	6-8 hours	Some loss of appetite, weight loss, sleep problems, irritability, tics. Longer-acting medicines are convenient but may have greater effects on appetite and sleep.
	Methylin ER	Intermediate-acting	6-8 hours
	Ritalin SR	Intermediate-acting	4-8 hours
	Metadate CD	Intermediate-acting	8-10 hours
	Ritalin LA	Intermediate-acting	8-10 hours
	Concerta	Long-acting	10-12 hours	Some loss of appetite, weight loss, sleep problems, irritability, tics. Longer-acting medicines are convenient but may have greater side effects on appetite and sleep.
	Focalin XR	Long-acting	6-10 hours
	Daytrana patch	Long-acting	10-12 hour	Skin irritation, some loss of appetite, weight loss, sleep problems, irritability, tics.
Non- stimulants	Strattera (atomoxetine)	Long-acting (extended release)	24 hours	Sleep problems, anxiety, fatigue, upset stomach, dizziness, dry mouth. Rarely, liver damage. There are some concerns about a link between Strattera and suicidal thoughts.
Non- stimulants	Intuniv	Long-acting (extended release)	24 hours	Sleepiness, headache, fatigue, abdominal pain. Rarely, Intuniv can cause low blood pressure and heart rhythm changes.
Antidepressants	Wellbutrin	Short-acting	4-5 hours	Sleep problems, headaches. Although rare, Wellbutrin may increase the risk of seizures.
	Wellbutrin SR	Sustained release (long-acting)	12 hours
	Wellbutrin XL	Extended release (long-acting)	24 hours
	Tofranil	NA	8-24 hours	Sleep problems, anxiety, fatigue, upset stomach, dizziness, dry mouth, elevated heart rate, risk of heart arrhythmias.
	Pamelor	NA	8-24 hours
	Aventyl	NA	8-24 hours
	Norpramin	NA	8-24 hours	Not recommended for children. Associated with cases of fatal heart problems.
Blood Pressure Medicines	Catapres	NA	4-6 hours (tablets) 24 hours (patch)	Fatigue, dizziness, dry mouth, irritability, behavior problems, low blood pressure. Stopping this medicine suddenly can result in high blood pressure.
Blood Pressure Medicines	Tenex	NA	6-8 hours
ADHD Medicines and Safety The FDA has issued a warning about the risk of drug abuse with amphetamine stimulants. FDA safety advisors are also concerned about the possibility that all amphetamine and methylphenidate stimulants used for ADHD may increase the risk of heart and psychiatric problems. The FDA has also issued a warning about a connection between antidepressants (including the non-stimulant Strattera) and an increased risk of suicide in adults aged 18-24, especially in the first one or two months of treatment. While these risks may seem alarming, keep in mind that experts generally consider these medicines safe. Serious problems are rare. Still, you should discuss the risks and benefits of these drugs with your doctor.