Medication Management

Topics in this section:

• Managing Medication for Children and Adolescents with AD/HD (WWK3)
• Managing Medication for Adults with AD/HD (WWK10)
• Managing Medicine for Children and Teenagers with AD/HD (WWK 3 short version)
• Managing Medication in Adults with AD/HD (WWK 10 short version)

The Surgeon General of the United States and the National Institute of Mental Health, as well as leading medical societies such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Psychiatric Association, and American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, recognize that medication, under the prescription of a treating medical professional and when taken as prescribed, along with other non-medication interventions, provide the most effective foundation for the treatment of AD/HD.

As with any intervention, a case-by-case decision-making process is necessary, and the decision to medicate should be made solely by the adult or child's parents or caregivers and a medical professional experienced in diagnosing and treating AD/HD.

Types of Medication

Pharmacological treatment with psychostimulants is the most widely used and studied treatment for AD/HD. According to the Surgeon General's Report on Mental Health, psychostimulants are highly effective for 75-90 percent of children with AD/HD. Common psychostimulant medications used in the treatment of AD/HD include methylphenidate, mixed salts of a single-entity amphetamine product and dextroamphetamine.

Atomoxetine, the only nonstimulant medication approved for the treatment of AD/HD, is a norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor. Antidepressants are also sometimes prescribed for the treatment of AD/HD.

Direct-to-Consumer Marketing of Medications

Learn more about direct-to-consumer marketing of medications.

Medication Chart

See our chart on Medications used in the treatment of AD/HD.

Other Web Sites:

• ADHD Parents Medication Guide
  A helpful guide prepared jointly by the the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) and the American Psychiatric Association (APA).
• MEDLINEplus Drug Information
  MEDLINEplus is a service of the National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health.
• Food and Drug Adminstration
  The FDA is an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It consists of 8 centers and offices, one of which -- the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research -- oversees the evaluation of new and current medications.
• Medications
  This National Institutes of Health booklet is designed to help mental health patients and their families understand how and why medications can be used as part of the treatment of mental health problems.
• Patient Assistance Programs
  The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) offers an online directory of patient assistance programs run by over 40 of its member companies. PhRMA is the trade association for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.
• FDA List of Approved Drugs and Package Inserts
  This online catalog from the Food and Drug Administration provides a searchable database of approved medications along with the history of each medication's approval process and the full package insert (i.e. the same information as in the PDR).