Guanfacine extended release in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents.
Extended-release guanfacine (Intuniv) is a novel long-acting, once-daily formulation of guanfacine indicated for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in 6 to 17 year old children and adolescents. In doses 1 to 4 mg/day, guanfacine extended release (GXR) significantly improves the symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity in ADHD youngsters compared with placebo. Because of different pharmacokinetics, GXR is not substitutable on a mg-for-mg basis with immediate release guanfacine. Although extended release guanfacine does not demonstrate clinically significant ECG changes, mild slowing of the heart rate and some lowering of SBP and DBP does occur and requires vital sign monitoring during treatment. Children with a clinically significant cardiovascular history are not eligible for GXR therapy. Future research is exploring GXR effectiveness in ADHD complicated by oppositional defiant symptoms, ADHD complicated by tic disorders, posttraumatic stress disorders, and impulsive aggression in ADHD youngsters.
University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut 06030-1410, USA. dconnor@uchc.edu
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D000293:Adolescent; D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D016316:Guanfacine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans
D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D016316:Guanfacine