Once-daily treatment of ADHD with guanfacine: patient implications

Review

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Author: Brandon C Strange

Published Date June 2008 Volume 2008:4(3) Pages 499 - 506

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/NDT.S1711

Brandon C Strange

Department of Psychiatry at The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA

Abstract: The standard of care for treating ADHD is to use a psychostimulant as the first line agent. Recent medical literature reports that approximately 70%–90% of patients with ADHD received some benefit from a stimulant medication. Even though psychostimulants have a high rate of efficacy, an estimated 30%–50% of children and adults may discontinue psychostimulants secondary to adverse effects or inadequate response. Guanfacine has been used for a number of years as an off label alternative to psychostimulants. This article reviews the current literature on the effectiveness of guanfacine in treating ADHD. It also introduces the preliminary data for guanfacine extended release and its effectiveness in decreasing the symptoms of ADHD.

Keywords: guanfacine, alpha adrenergic agonist, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, impulsivity, attention