Greetings Bristol!

This month will be the first in a 3-part series to address ADD/ADHD, which represents Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. The numbers of children and adults with this condition are rising steadily. This month I will explain what it is and how it is currently treated. In March, I plan to address the use of over-the-counter medications in patients with ADD/ADHD. Finally, in April, I hope some of you will pitch in with some success stories in an effort to help your neighbors. I’m more than happy to keep them anonymous, and I believe if anyone is willing to share a tip or knowledge in 1-3 short sentences it could be of great benefit.

There are 3 different categories of ADD/ADHD; inattentive, hyperactive-impulsive, and combined types. Adults typically have inattentive ADD, while children most often exhibit the other two. Common symptoms of hyperactive-impulsive type include squirming/fidgeting, excessive running or climbing, difficulty playing, excessive talking, and blurting answers before listening to the whole question. Symptoms of the inattentive type are a lack of attention to detail, difficulty sustaining attention, not listening, chronically misplacing things, and being easily distracted or forgetful. Lest the doctor’s offices be flooded with patients after this article is published, let me add that there must be 6 or more symptoms present which persist for at least 6 month in at least 2 different settings (example, school and home). Also, they must not be caused by any other mental disorders, like dementia or bipolar disorder.

Treatment for this condition can include support groups, individual education plans, and medication. Many people are aware that stimulants, like amphetamine, are the mainstay of treatment for ADD/ADHD, however patients can also use antidepressants and medications which control blood pressure to help the stimulants work better than they do alone. Names of stimulants you may be familiar with are Adderall, Ritalin, Vyvanse, Dexedrine, Concerta, and Focalin. They all work to direct the brain down the channels it needs to focus on the task at hand. Stimulants account for treating 80% of all cases of ADD/ADHD but should not be used in patients with heart defects. The nonstimulants (Strattera), and antidepressants (Wellbutrin) work to help control some of the other issues by stimulating release of dopamine and norepinephrine.

My best advice if you think someone you care about may suffer from ADD/ADHD is to document their symptoms over 6-12 months, including date and time of the symptom and if there seems to be anything that triggers the response. Document how long it lasts and show the diary to the doctor. He or she can take it from there and run the necessary tests for a diagnosis. The sooner there is a treatment plan, the sooner a person can start to succeed!

Okay, I received some complaints because I didn’t have a joke in the last issue, so here it is!

Patient: “Doctor, are you sure I’m suffering from pneumonia? I heard once about a doctor treating someone with pneumonia and finally he died of typhus.”
Doctor: “Don’t worry, it won’t happen to me. If I treat someone with pneumonia, he will die of pneumonia.”

Katrina, Pharmacist
Mor for Less/Bristol Pharmacy 848-0660