Strattera (atomoxetine) is used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Patients with ADHD in the four remaining retrospective studies (Adler et al. 2006; Pohl et al. 2009; Scott et al. 2010; Hodgkins et al. 2011) were children, adolescents, or adults, and were predominantly male (54–82%). Frank requested a trial of ATX immediately after it became available.

Rare but serious side effects of Strattera include liver toxicity, suicidal thoughts, swelling, and heart problems. Because stimulants are known for their efficacy in the treatment of ADHD, Adderall is considered a first-line treatment. While second-line treatments such as Strattera may be less effective, they can still be helpful for relieving symptoms. This article discusses how Adderall and Strattera work, how they are used to treat attention disorders, and their potential side effects. It also covers how they compare in terms of efficacy and risk for abuse.

Mental Health Newsletter

Your child or teenager may need to be closely watched for suicidal thoughts and actions or need a change in medicine. Your doctor should check you or your child carefully for heart problems before starting STRATTERA. Call your child or teenager’s doctor right away if they have any of the above signs, especially if they are new, sudden, or severe.

Is Strattera Better Than Adderall? Is Strattera the Same as Adderall?

Usually the rationale is that apparent risks for a particular patient appear significantly less harmful than the likely risks of not providing such treatment and that there is potential of substantial benefit for a patient suffering significant impairment. The major problem with this approach is the dearth of adequate research to guide estimates of possible risks and benefits in the use of combined medication treatment. ATX was quite helpful for George, but the teacher’s reports of continuing inattention symptoms that were interfering with leaning highlighted the need for further intervention. A higher dose of ATX was not tried because a dose response study of ATX (Michelson et a!. 2001) did not show added benefit to doses above 1.2 mg/kg/day. At this point, the combination of ATX and stimulant every morning was tried.

Comparative Effectiveness

It may be that both stimulants and ATX impact both dopaminergic and noradrenergic circuits in the brain, albeit in different ratios or sequences. How Strattera and stimulants can be utilized in combination to extend duration of ADHD symptom relief without intolerable side effects. Adderall and Strattera can both be effective for managing symptoms of attention disorders. While Adderall is considered a first-line treatment, it may not be the right choice is straterra a stimulant for everyone. Because Strattera is not a stimulant, it does not lead to physical dependence or withdrawal symptoms if you stop taking it.

Consideration should be given to not treating adults with clinically significant cardiac abnormalities. It is generally agreed that pharmacological treatment of ADHD may be needed for extended periods. The benefit of maintaining pediatric patients (ages 6-15 years) with ADHD on STRATTERA after achieving a response in a dose range of 1.2 to 1.8 mg/kg/day was demonstrated in a controlled trial. Patients assigned to STRATTERA in the maintenance phase were generally continued on the same dose used to achieve a response in the open label phase.

• STRATTERA is indicated as an integral part of a total treatment program for ADHD that may include other measures (psychological, educational, social) for patients with this syndrome.
• Strattera has a black box warning (serious) regarding its association with a greater risk of suicidal ideation in children and adolescents with ADHD (risk identified as 0.4% with Strattera compared with 0% with placebo a pretend pill).
• For both medications, doctors usually start by prescribing a low dose and gradually increasing it until the right therapeutic dose is found for a specific person.
• A boxed warning alerts doctors and patients about drug effects that may be dangerous.
• The benefits of ATX were obtained without the adverse effects that accompanied the trials of MPH-IR administered after school.
• Rats were treated with 1, 10, or 50 mg/kg/day (approximately 0.2, 2, and 8 times, respectively, the maximum human dose on a mg/m2 basis) of atomoxetine given by gavage from the early postnatal period (Day 10 of age) through adulthood.

Atomoxetine (Strattera) – Uses, Side Effects, and More

If they want you to take the drug once per day, you’ll likely take it in the morning. If they want you to take Strattera twice daily, you’ll likely take one dose in the morning and one dose in the afternoon or early evening. A generic drug is an exact copy of the active drug in a brand-name medication. The generic is considered to be as safe and effective as the original drug. If you and your doctor determine that Strattera is safe and effective for you, you’ll likely take it long term.

Some of Strattera’s side effects are related to its effect on the neurotransmitter norepinephrine, which is involved with the body’s physiological response to stress, or “fight or flight” response, says Dr. Zand. Strattera can increase a person’s heart rate and blood pressure, which can make some people jittery or anxious, he adds. Strattera also affects serotonin, which interacts with receptors in the gastrointestinal tract or gut. Strattera is taken either once a day in the morning—or twice a day, in the morning and evening, with or without food. Doctors typically prescribe a low-dose prescription to start and may increase a person’s dosage after a few days or weeks, depending on the drug’s efficacy. In a separate 16-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 442 patients aged 18-65, who met DSM-IV criteria for adult ADHD and social anxiety disorder (23% of whom also had Generalized Anxiety Disorder) were randomized.

MAO inhibitors include isocarboxazid, linezolid, methylene blue injection, phenelzine, rasagiline, selegiline, tranylcypromine, and others. You should not use this medicine if you have narrow-angle glaucoma, an adrenal gland tumor, heart disease, coronary artery disease, or moderate to severe high blood pressure. Patient months, not n values, for individual ADHD medications were reported. Stimulants in combination with atomoxetine represented 1.0–6.7% of patient months. Adequate stimulant trial was defined as a gradual titration of stimulant medication for at least 2 weeks at specified doses for each medication.

• As a result, the FDA recommends evaluating every patient for past symptoms consistent with a diagnosis of bipolar or a family history of bipolar or cyclic mood disorders prior to administrating Strattera to avoid inducing a manic episode.
• Instruct patients and their caregivers to look for signs of activation of mania/hypomania see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS.
• While taking Strattera, your doctor will need to check your progress at regular visits.
• If you take Strattera and have a tumor, the symptoms could become severe.
• You may wonder how Strattera compares with other medications that are prescribed for similar uses.

Safety Warnings

In rats dosed prior to mating and during organogenesis a decrease in fetal weight (female only) and an increase in the incidence of incomplete ossification of the vertebral arch in fetuses were observed at a dose approximately 5 times the MRHD on a mg/m2 basis. In one of 2 studies in which rats were dosed prior to mating through the periods of organogenesis and lactation, decreased pup weight and decreased pup survival were observed at doses corresponding to 5-6 times the MRHD on a mg/m2 basis. No adverse fetal effects were seen in pregnant rats dosed during the organogenesis period (see Data).

The parents or guardians of pediatric patients taking STRATTERA and adult patients taking STRATTERA should be instructed that priapism requires prompt medical attention see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS. Patients with bipolar disorder or risk factors for bipolar disorder may be at increased risk of developing mania or mixed episodes during treatment with STRATTERA. It may not be possible to determine whether a manic or mixed episode that appears during treatment with STRATTERA is due to an adverse reaction to STRATTERA or a patient’s underlying bipolar disorder. Before initiating treatment with STRATTERA, patients should be adequately screened for risk factors for bipolar disorder such as a personal or family history of mania and depression.

If you take high doses of Ritalin and develop a physical or psychological dependence, you may get withdrawal symptoms such as depression, tiredness, and trouble sleeping when you suddenly stop taking the drug. How much these drugs cost depends on your health insurance coverage and your local pharmacy. In general, the longer-acting forms cost more than the shorter-acting forms.