Pill of the Month

November 2006- Amphetamine-dextroamphetamine (Adderall, Adderall XR)

Amphetamine-dextroamphetamine
Brand names: Adderall, Adderall XR

USES: Amphetamine-dextroamphetamine is a stimulant and appetite suppressant. It stimulates the central nervous system (nerves and brain) by increasing the amount of certain chemicals in the body. This increases heart rate and blood pressure and decreases appetite, among other effects. Amphetamine-dextroamphetamine is used to treat narcolepsy and attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity (ADHD). Amphetamine-dextroamphetamine may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

MISUSES: College students who use prescription stimulants meant to control attention-deficit disorder as study aids prefer the slow-release drug Adderall to Ritalin, researchers from Northeastern University report. Students are three times more likely to take Adderall than Ritalin; the drugs are popular because they increase concentration and are seen as a way to boost academic achievement. Adderall is an amphetamine-dextroamphetamine product, while Ritalin's active ingredient is methylphenidate. Researchers found that far more college students took the drugs to improve their schoolwork than to get high. Most ingested the pills orally, but 40 percent said they had snorted the stimulants, reported lead researcher Christian Teter, a pharmacy professor at Northeastern. Misuse of drugs like Adderall and Ritalin varied by race; white students were the most likely to use the drugs to study or get high, followed by Asians, Hispanics, and blacks. Most students only began using the drugs in college. The appetite-suppressant aspect of Adderall is one of the contributing factors to its popularity among female college students, some of whom use it as a diet pill. There are other side effects, as well, that include dehydration, hot flashes, stomach pains, nausea, heavy sweating, headaches and even involuntary movements.

Taking amphetamine-dextroamphetamine in the late afternoon or evening may cause insomnia. Symptoms of overdosing of an amphetamine-dextroamphetamine overdose include restlessness, tremor, rapid breathing, confusion, hallucinations, panic, aggressiveness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, an irregular heartbeat, and seizures.

Source: http://health.yahoo.com/drug/d04035a1
http://www.jointogether.org/news/research/summaries/2006/adderall-preferred-by-college.htm