Stimulant medications in adults with attention deficit disorder.
The long-term prospective studies done in the last two decades on children suffering from attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity (ADD-H) give evidence of persistent disability in a majority of them when they reach adulthood. The literature on the use of stimulant medication in adults suffering from attention deficit disorder, residual type (ADD-R), is critically reviewed. After optimistic case reports two controlled double-blind studies have recently showed contradictory results. Some adults appear clearly to be helped by stimulant medication, but more investigations, especially with children diagnosed in childhood and followed-up, are needed before any firm conclusion can be made about the usefulness or non-usefulness of stimulants in ADD-R. There, as it is the case in childhood, medication might be insufficient by itself and might have to be associated with other forms of treatment.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000639:Amitriptyline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003913:Dextroamphetamine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006801:Humans; D007099:Imipramine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008774:Methylphenidate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010389:Pemoline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012631:Secobarbital / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D000639:Amitriptyline; D012631:Secobarbital; D008774:Methylphenidate; D010389:Pemoline; D007099:Imipramine; D003913:Dextroamphetamine