The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics
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ISSUE 1736
ISSUE 1736
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Drugs for ADHD
September 1, 2025 (Issue: 1736)
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a
common chronic neurodevelopmental disorder often
diagnosed in school-age children that frequently
persists into adulthood.Pharmacologic treatment
of ADHD has been associated with reduced risks...more
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- QuilliChew ER – extended-release chewable methylphenidate tablets. Med Lett Drugs Ther 2016; 58:68.
- Cotempla XR-ODT – another long-acting methylphenidate for ADHD. Med Lett Drugs Ther 2017; 59:183.
- Quillivant XR – an extended-release oral suspension of methylphenidate. Med Lett Drugs Ther 2013; 55:10.
- Transdermal methylphenidate (Daytrana) for ADHD. Med Lett Drugs Ther 2006; 48:49.
- Jornay PM – evening-dosed methylphenidate for ADHD. Med Lett Drugs Ther 2019; 61:126.
- Two new amphetamines for ADHD. Med Lett Drugs Ther 2016; 58:80.
- Transdermal dextroamphetamine (Xelstrym) for ADHD. Med Lett Drugs Ther 2023: 65:22.
- RH Weisler et al. Efficacy and safety of SHP465 mixed amphetamine salts in the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in adults: results of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, forced-dose clinical study. CNS Drugs 2017; 31:685. doi:10.1007/s40263-017-0455-7
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- D Elbe et al. Focus on lisdexamfetamine: a review of its use in child and adolescent psychiatry. J Can Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2010; 19:303.
- JH Newcorn et al. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled acute comparator trials of lisdexamfetamine and extended-release methylphenidate in adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. CNS Drugs 2017; 31:999. doi:10.1007/s40263-017-0468-2
- FDA Drug Safety Communication. FDA requires expanded labeling about weight loss risk in patients younger than 6 years taking extended-release stimulants for ADHD. June 30, 2025. Available at: https://bit.ly/3Ukaf3U. Accessed August 13, 2025.
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- WO Cooper et al. ADHD drugs and serious cardiovascular events in children and young adults. N Engl J Med 2011; 365:1896. doi:10.1056/nejmoa1110212
- LA Habel et al. ADHD medications and risk of serious cardiovascular events in young and middle-aged adults. JAMA 2011; 306:2673. doi:10.1001/jama.2011.1830
- H Schelleman et al. Cardiovascular events and death in children exposed and unexposed to ADHD agents. Pediatrics 2011; 127:1102. doi:10.1542/peds.2010-3371
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- A Holt et al. Long-term cardiovascular risk associated with treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in adults. J Am Coll Cardiol 2024; 83:1870. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2024.03.375
- SA Shahani et al. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder screening electrocardiograms: a community-based perspective. Pediatr Cardiol 2014; 35:485. doi:10.1007/s00246-013-0810-5
- LV Moran et al. Psychosis with methylphenidate or amphetamine in patients with ADHD. N Engl J Med 2019; 380:1128. doi:10.1056/nejmoa1813751
- JM Swanson et al. Young adult outcomes in the follow-up of the multimodal treatment study of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: symptom persistence, source discrepancy, and height suppression. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2017; 58:663. doi:10.1111/jcpp.12684
- LS Eiland et al. Priapism associated with the use of stimulant medications and atomoxetine for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children. Ann Pharmcother 2014; 48:1350. doi:10.1177/1060028014541791
- Inhibitors and inducers of CYP enzymes, P-glycoprotein, and other transporters. Med Lett Drugs Ther 2023 January 25 (epub). Available at: www.medicalletter.org/downloads/CYP_PGP_Tables.pdf.
- A Childress et al. Viloxazine extended-release administered with psychostimulants in children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a phase 4, open-label trial. J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol 2025; 35:155. doi:10.1089/cap.2024.0138
- T Treuer et al. A systematic review of combination therapy with stimulants and atomoxetine for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, including patient characteristics, treatment strategies, effectiveness, and tolerability. J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol 2013; 23:179. doi:10.1089/cap.2012.0093
- Atomoxetine (Strattera) for ADHD. Med Lett Drugs Ther 2003; 45:11.
- JH Newcorn et al. Atomoxetine and osmotically released methylphenidate for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: acute comparison and differential response. Am J Psychiatry 2008; 165:721. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.2007.05091676
- VA Reed et al. The safety of atomoxetine for the treatment of children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a comprehensive review of over a decade of research. CNS Drugs 2016; 30:603. doi:10.1007/s40263-016-0349-0
- Viloxazine ER (Quelbree) for ADHD. Med Lett Drugs Ther 2021; 63:98.
- MZ Price and RL Price. Extended-release viloxazine compared with atomoxetine for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. CNS Drugs 2023; 37:655. doi:10.1007/s40263-023-01023-6
- ST Osland et al. Pharmacological treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children with comorbid tic disorders. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2018; 6:CD007990. doi:10.1002/14651858.cd007990.pub3
- Guanfacine extended-release (Intuniv) for ADHD. Med Lett Drugs Ther 2010; 52:82.
- Another extended-release alpha2-agonist for ADHD. Med Lett Drugs Ther 2011; 53:10.
- Clonidine oral suspension (Onyda XR) for ADHD. Med Lett Drugs Ther 2024; 66:205.
- KF Huybrechts et al. Association between methylphenidate and amphetamine use in pregnancy and risk of congenital malformations: a cohort study from the International Pregnancy Safety Study Consortium. JAMA Psychiatry 2018; 75:167. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2017.3644
- C Andrade. Risk of major congenital malformations associated with the use of methylphenidate or amphetamines in pregnancy. J Clin Psychiatry 2018; 79:18f12108. doi:10.4088/jcp.18f12108
- JM Cohen et al. Placental complications associated with psychostimulant use in pregnancy. Obstet Gynecol 2017; 130:1192. doi:10.1097/aog.0000000000002362
- C Andrade. Adverse gestational outcomes associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder medication exposure during pregnancy. J Clin Psychiatry 2018; 79:18f12136. doi:10.4088/jcp.18f12136
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