The document provides an overview of agents used to treat ADHD, including their history, mechanisms of action, epidemiology, and comparisons. It discusses stimulant agents like amphetamine and methylphenidate, which are first-line treatment options. It also covers non-stimulant options like atomoxetine and guanfacine. Multimodal treatment incorporating behavioral therapy and medication is emphasized as the most effective approach. A large clinical trial found medication management was more effective than behavioral treatment alone.
2. Goals
• Pharmacy students should be:
– familiar with ADHD-I, ADHD-HI, and ADHD-C
– able to contrast the MOA, AE, and abuse potential
of stimulant and non-stimulant
pharmacotherapies for ADHD
3. History of ADHD
• ≈1910: Minimal Brain Damage: inattentive,
distractible, hyper/hypoactive
• 1980: Attention Deficit Disorder: normal IQ,
poor sustained attention, added to DSM III
• 1994: ADD is removed from DSM IV
• 2013: “Symptoms present by age” changed
from 7 to 12
Taylor (2011). Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, 3, 69-75.
12. Amphetamine
• History:
– synthesized in 1883
– benzedrine in 1933
• Indications: ADHD (age 3+ ), narcolepsy
• MOA:
– DAT inhibition & reversal
– NET inhibition & reversal
– VMAT2 inhibition
– MAO inhibition (weak)
13. Amphetamine Neurobehavioral Effects ≠
Paradoxical
• 14 Boys (age 6-12, IQ = 131) randomized to receive 5 mg/kg
dextroamphetamine or placebo
• Cognitive battery completed at 30 – 150 min post drug
Rapoport, J. et al. (1978). Science, 199, 563-566.
14. Methamphetamine
• History: synthesized in 1893
• Indications: ADHD, obesity
• Metabolite: amphetamine
• MOA:
– DAT inhibition & reversal
– NET inhibition & reversal
– SERT inhibition & reversal
– VMAT2 inhibition
– MAO inhibition ( ? )
18. Recreational Methamphetamine &
11
DAT Depletions
[ C]d-methylphenidate
Volkow et al. (2001). Journal of Neuroscience, 21(23), 9414-9418.
19. Stimulants & Neurotoxicity
• Rats received doses, chosen
to produce 2-5X plasma
therapeutic levels of:
– amphetamine (AMPH)
– methamphetamine (METH)
– methylphenidate (MPH)
• Animals monitored for
hyperthermia
• Dopamine at 1 week:
– MPH = controls
– ↓ METH
– ↓ AMPH
Levi et al. (2012). Neurotoxicology & Teratology, 34, 253-262.
20. Diversion Proof?
Lisdexamfetamine Guanfacine Atomoxetine
DAT/NET,
MOA D-amphetamine
NRI
prodrug α2A agonist
ADHD (>6 yrs), ADHD, ADHD
Indications hypertension
Scheduled Yes, II No No
Abuse potential, Suicidal
Warning sudden death
No thoughts/
behavior
21. Total estimated number of outpatient prescriptions for ADHD drug market drug products dispensed
to the US children (ages 0–17 years) from US retail pharmacies.
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Chai G et al. (2012). Pediatrics, 130, 23-31.
22. Treatment for ADHD (DiPiro)
• “Multimodal treatment (parent training, family training,
classroom interventions, contingency management) is
crucial for an overall positive therapeutic outcome.”
• Pharmacotherapies
– 1st Line: methylphenidate or amphetamine
– 2nd Line: atomoxetine or guanafacine or bupropion
– 3rd Line: combine above or add tricyclic
antidepressant
Copheide & Pliszka (2011). In DiPiro’s Pharmacotherapy: A Pathophysiological Approach, p. 1088.
23. Treatment for Hyperkinetic Disorder
(European)
• 1st Line: Psychoeducation
• 2nd Line: methylphenidate
• 3rd Line: other stimulant
• 4th Line: TCA, nicotine patch
Taylor et al. (2004). Eur Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 13(S1), DOI 10.1007/s00787-004-1002-x
24. Multimodal Treatment Study of
Children With ADHD (MTA)
• Children (7-10 y.o.) with ADHD-C (N=579)
randomized for 14 months to:
– Medication Management (MM): methylphenidate (37.7
mg/day), monthly monitoring of adverse effects (parent)
– Behavioral Therapy (BT): summer camp (9 hours/day x 5
weeks) + parent training + teaching aid (60 days)
– Combined (MM & BT): methylphenidate (30.5 mg/day),
monthly monitoring of adverse effects (parent & teacher)
– Community Care: treatment as usual in the community (67%
pharmacotherapy)
MTA Group (1999). Archives of Psychology, 56(12), 1073-1086.
25. Interpretation?
• 1) All groups improved relative to baseline.
• 2) Behavioral Treatment doesn’t work
• 3) Medication Management > Other
• 4) Behavioral Treatment = Community Care
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MTA Group (1999). Archives of Psychology, 56(12), 1073-1086.
Notas do Editor
Stevens-Johnson syndrome
DSM5 will now note: “Several noticeable inattentive or hyperactive-impulsive symptoms were present by age 12”
Detailed report at: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5944a3.htm?s_cid=mm5944a3_wThis notes SES differences (higher rates for parents on Medicaid) but also SES (lower rates for Hispanic).
Differences were retained when potential confounds (group differences in body weight/medication) were included in the statistics.
Midsagital view of rat brain (bottom) and PET of human brain (upper right). VMAT2 is an integral membrane protein that transports monoamines—including dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin, and histamine—from cellular cytosol into synaptic vesicles
tegmentum is Latin for covering. VTA is found in midbrain or mesencephalon.
Adrenergic receptors in heart increase rate of heart contractility. α1 also has subtypes: α1A, α1B, α1D as does α2 with α2A, 2B, 2C
Amphetamine was first synthesized in 1887 by the Romanian chemist LazărEdeleanu in Berlin, Germany. Benzedrine marketed by Smith Kline & French was originally a non-prescription drug used for bronchodialation for people with asthma. Some individuals used Benzedrine recreationally by cracking the container open and swallowing the paper strip inside, which was covered in Benzedrine.
Word recall was assessed by a word game with lists of 20 words. CPT test involved press a button if a 4 appeared but only if it was preceded by a 6. Interestingly, 12 of 14 children correctly identified the medication day.
Shortly after the first synthesis of amphetamine in 1887, methamphetamine was synthesized from ephedrine 1893 by Japanese chemist Nagai Nagayoshi.
Originally synthesized in 1944 and released in 1948.
General description of the study available here: http://www.bnl.gov/bnlweb/pubaf/pr/2001/bnlpr120101b.htm
Guanfacine is approved as a monotherapy and adjunct for ADHD. For Guanfacine, Intuniv is approved for ADHD but Tenex (same molecule) is approved for hypertension. NRI =Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitor. NET takes up both NE and some dopamine.
Note that the individually tailored dose in Combined was less than that in MM.