Nonstimulant Medications for ADHD
Currently, there are only two nonstimulant medications approved for this use:
Strattera® (
atomoxetine) and
Intuniv™ (
guanfacine ER). The other medications listed below are not approved for
ADHD and are usually used when other approved medications have failed.
Strattera
Strattera was the first nonstimulant approved for the treatment of ADHD. The drug is approved for children six and older, adolescents, and adults. Unlike most other ADHD medications, Strattera is not a controlled substance, which means that it is unlikely to be abused. Also, because it is not a controlled substance, the rules for prescribing and dispensing this medication are not as strict.
Unlike prescriptions for stimulants, Strattera prescriptions can be faxed or phoned to your pharmacy and can be refilled without getting a new prescription each time (if your healthcare provider approves).
Intuniv
Intuniv is approved for treating ADHD in individuals 6 though 17 years old; it is not yet approved for use in adults. Like Strattera, it is not a controlled substance. Intuniv is a long-acting form of guanfacine. The short-acting version of guanfacine (Tenex
®) is approved for
treating high blood pressure and has been used for quite some time in an "
off-label" fashion for treating ADHD.
Off-Label ADHD Medications
Sometimes, when approved ADHD medications have not worked for a child (or cannot be taken due to the side effects), your child's healthcare provider may suggest a medicine considered "off-label" for the treatment of ADHD. An off-label use means that a prescription medicine is used to treat a disease or condition other than what it has been approved to treat by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Although the FDA regulates how a medication can be advertised or promoted by the manufacturer, these regulations do not restrict a healthcare provider's ability to prescribe the medication for different conditions, in different doses, or for different lengths of time. The practice of prescribing medication for periods of time or for conditions not FDA-approved is known as an "off-label" use.
The following are medications that have not been approved for the treatment of ADHD, but are sometimes used to treat ADHD:
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