New Medication Helps Adults, Adolescents And Children Manage ADHD Symptoms With A Once-Daily Dose (NAPSA)—A new, once-daily medication is available to help adults, adolescents and children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Focalin XR” (dexmethylphenidate HCl) extended-release capsules, a medication that effectively manages ADHD symptoms quickly with a single morning dose. but I actually noticed the differ- treatment option for adults, adolescents and children to address the many difficult symptoms of ADHD,” said Thomas Spencer, M.D., Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School and Assistant Director of the Pediatric Psychopharmacology Research Program at Massachusetts ing quality time with me. He enrolled in a college course. He’s gone back to college and now he’s getting A’s,” she said. “It’s just ence right away—the day he started taking it,” Robin recalled. “It was a placebo-controlled trial, so we weren't told if he was taking Focalin XR or a sugarpill, but I saw such an improvementin his symptoms that I knew that he was getting the medicine.” Soon she began to notice improvements in all aspects of his life. “He was doing better at work. He was get- “Focalin XR provides a new General Hospital. “Focalin XR provides patients with a treatment that starts working quickly to alleviate symptoms with the advantage of a once-daily dose.” In adults and children, the core symptoms of ADHD are inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity; however, in adults symptoms of hyperactivity often subside with maturity or may manifest differently. ADHD is one of the most common psychiatric disorders of childhood andis estimatedto affect five to seven percent of children. Manychildren with ADHD will continue to experience symptoms into adulthood. ADHDis estimated to affect approximately four percent of the adult population. ting home on time. He was spend- In adults and children, the core symptoms of ADHD areinattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity. Left untreated, ADHD may cause difficulty in a variety of situations. Children may have a hard time with schoolwork, extracurricular activities and in social situations. Adolescents with ADHD are at increased risk for car accidents, tobacco use and lower educational and occupational attainment. In adults, ADHD may cause difficulty at work and social and economic problems. Treatment has been shown to lower theserisks. Tim Dickinson was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult and participated in one of the Focalin XR clinical trials. As his wife Robin explains, once he started treatment, both she and Tim noticed an immediate difference in his symptoms. “I was very surprised, been wonderful.” The approval of Focalin XR for the treatment of ADHD was based on efficacy and safety data from clinical trials involving approximately 320 adults, adolescents and children diagnosed with ADHD. Results indicated that Focalin XR wasstatistically supe- rior to placebo. Focalin XR was generally well tolerated. There were no significant changes in patient weight or vital signs, such as sitting pulse or sitting blood pressure, in adults or children. The most commonside effects in adults and children include decreased appetite, headache, dyspep- sia, anxiety, insomnia, feeling jittery and anorexia. For more information about ADHD, visit www.ADHDInfo.com. For more information about Focalin XR, visit www.Focalin XR.com. Note to Editors: Like most drugs approved for the treatment of ADHD, Focalin XR is contraindicated in patients known to be hypersensitive to the drug or to methylphenidate, in patients with glaucoma, and in patients with motortics or with a family history or diagnosis of Tourette’s syndrome. It is also contraindicated during treatment with monoamineoxidase inhibitors and also within a minimum of 14 days following discontinuation of a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (hypertensive crises may result). In addition, like most drugs approved for the treatment of ADHD, Focalin XR is a schedule I drug and should be given cautiously to patients with a history of drug dependence or alcoholism.
