What Is Intuniv Used For?
Intuniv™ (
guanfacine ER) is a prescription medicine licensed to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (
ADHD) in individuals between the ages of 6 and 17. Unlike most other ADHD medications, Intuniv is not a stimulant and is not a controlled substance.
ADHD is a condition involving difficulty paying attention, sitting still, and controlling behavior. In ADHD, these problems are worse than expected for a typical child of the same age. Usually, these symptoms must be present before the age of seven to qualify as ADHD. They must also affect school, work, or social life in a negative way to qualify as ADHD
(see ADHD and School and Relationships and ADHD for more information).
Although ADHD is generally thought of as a problem in children, teenagers and adults can also have it. However,
diagnosing ADHD in adults is not the same as diagnosing it in children, and Intuniv is not yet approved for treating
adult ADHD.
Any meaningful behavioral change usually requires a well-balanced ADHD treatment plan, including social, educational, and mental therapy
(see Behavior Therapy for ADHD). If lifestyle changes alone are not effective in changing behavior, medications such as Intuniv may be necessary.
Intuniv is a long-acting form of guanfacine, a medication that has been used for decades to
treat high blood pressure. It belongs to a class of drugs known as alpha-2a adrenergic receptor agonists. At this time, it is unknown exactly how Intuniv works to treat ADHD.
