ADHD Channel
Topics & Medications
Quicklinks
Related Channels
Methylin and Adults
Children with ADHD have been approved to use Methylin, and adults can only use the medication "off-label." This is considered an off-label use because not enough studies have been conducted on the effects of Methylin in adults. Since stimulants should be used with caution in people with high blood pressure or heart problems, make sure your healthcare provider checks for these problems before you begin taking the medication.
Methylin® (methylphenidate hydrochloride) is a prescription medication used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. It is also used to treat narcolepsy in adults. There are currently four forms of Methylin available:
- Methylin tablets
- Methylin chewable tablets
- Methylin oral solution
- Methylin ER tablets.
However, Methylin is not approved for use in adults with ADHD.
Methylin has not been adequately studied as a treatment for ADHD in adults, meaning that no large studies have been conducted on the benefits and risks of using it in this fashion. However, a healthcare provider may prescribe Methylin for adults in certain situations. This is considered an "off-label" use for the drug. "Off-label" is when a prescription medicine is used to treat a disease or condition for which it has not been approved 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 doctor's ability to prescribe the medication in an off-label fashion: for different conditions, in different doses, or for different lengths of time. Your healthcare provider may prescribe a medicine for off-label use if he or she feels that it is appropriate for your situation.
Most stimulants (including Methylin) should be used with caution in people with high blood pressure (hypertension) or heart problems (including heart disease and congestive heart failure). While this is not usually a concern for most children (who generally do not have high blood pressure or heart problems), it is definitely a cause for concern in adults. Be sure your healthcare provider checks you for high blood pressure or heart problems before you start the drug.
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD