| Intuniv is a new medication for the treatment of ADHD | | | | Early reports on Intuniv indicate that the effects and |
| in children and teens that just recently gained its | | | | benefits of the medication are not just one day, but |
| approval from the FDA and was available to | | | | actually have benefit for the next morning with the |
| pharmacies in early November, 2009. Early reports on | | | | child or teen wakes up, and many families know that |
| Intuniv for ADHD are now coming in, as the medication | | | | the early morning can be one of the most difficult |
| is new to the market and many parents and | | | | times of the entire day. |
| physicians are curious about the initial feedback. | | | | While Intuniv can be used along with stimulant |
| Intuniv is not a stimulant medication, and may be helpful | | | | medications, for many children and teens it is proving to |
| to the estimated 25-30% of children with ADHD who | | | | be good enough all by itself. One doctor reports that |
| do not benefit from stimulant medications. Instead, | | | | he has seen positive results in his patients with |
| Intuniv is a form of Guanfacine (Tenex) which has | | | | "inattentive ADHD" helping them to focus better and |
| been used for years as a blood pressure medication in | | | | longer. Others report that Intuniv may also help with |
| adults, and has also been used as an adjunct | | | | those difficult, angry, ODD, and perhaps early on-set |
| medication in the treatment of ADHD individuals with | | | | bipolar disordered kids and teens. And for those kids, |
| temper or anger problems, or oppositional defiant | | | | Intuniv should be much safer than the antipsychotics |
| disorder. Now in the form of Intuniv, this medication | | | | that are often prescribed. |
| seems to have a wider range of symptoms that | | | | Obviously it is today very early in the game, and there |
| benefit from its use than just anger or oppositional | | | | is a lot that remains to be seen and reported. I'm not |
| behavior. | | | | sure that I'd want my child to get in too early on this |
| It appears that Intuniv (guanfacine) works in the | | | | medication. I would rather take some time to see how |
| pre-frontal cortex to help the brain's available supply of | | | | others do with it, and let it get a bit of a track record. In |
| glutamate, and excitatory neurotransmitter. About | | | | the studies that Shire had done for FDA approval, |
| one-third of all neurotransmitters in the brain are | | | | there were some significant side-effects reported, and |
| glutamate, and working together with dopamine and | | | | something like 80% of the people who began the |
| norepinephrine, glutamate helps to improve the | | | | study dropped out over the course of the study. The |
| functioning of the pre-frontal cortex - improving focus | | | | fact that the study was about two years long might |
| and attention, decreasing impulsive anger and | | | | explain the drop-out rate, but so might the reported |
| frustration. | | | | side-effects. But for many families it will be worth |
| Families will find Intuniv easier to manage then Tenex, | | | | watching, listening, and asking questions of their |
| as it is a once-a-day medication, where Tenex was | | | | physicians. It should be a good discussion at your local |
| twice-a-day dosing. Also, Intuniv is not a stimulant, so it | | | | CHADD meetings. |
| will be easier for doctors to prescribe the medication, | | | | It is strongly recommended by some physicians that |
| and easier for families to pick up a refill at the | | | | Intuniv not be used with certain other drugs, especially |
| pharmacy. Also, Intuniv has no known potential for | | | | Prozac, Paxil, Luvox, Trileptal (or Tegretol), Provigil, and |
| abuse or dependence, so it may be helpful for those | | | | others in these classes. |
| with both ADHD and a co-morbid history of addiction. | | | | |