Description
Dextroamphetamine is used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy (sleep disorder). It belongs to the group of medicines called central nervous system (CNS) stimulants.
Dextroamphetamine works in the treatment of ADHD by increasing attention and decreasing restlessness in children and adults who are overactive, cannot concentrate for very long, or are easily distracted and impulsive. This medicine is used as part of a total treatment program that also includes social, educational, and psychological treatment.
This medicine is available only with a doctor's prescription.
This product is available in the following dosage forms:
- Tablet
- Capsule, Extended Release
- Solution
Before Using
In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered:
Allergies
Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.
Pediatric
Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of dextroamphetamine tablets to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in children younger than 3 years of age. Safety and efficacy have not been established.
Dextroamphetamine extended-release capsule and sustained-release capsule are not recommended to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in children younger than 6 years of age.
Procentra® and Zenzedi® are not recommended to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in children younger than 3 years of age.
Geriatric
No information is available on the relationship of age to the effects of dextroamphetamine in geriatric patients.
Breastfeeding
Studies in women breastfeeding have demonstrated harmful infant effects. An alternative to this medication should be prescribed or you should stop breastfeeding while using this medicine.
Drug Interactions
Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.
- Isocarboxazid
- Linezolid
- Methylene Blue
- Ozanimod
- Phenelzine
- Procarbazine
- Rasagiline
- Safinamide
- Selegiline
- Sibutramine
- Tranylcypromine
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
- Abiraterone Acetate
- Abiraterone Acetate, Micronized
- Acetazolamide
- Albuterol Sulfate
- Alfentanil
- Almotriptan
- Aluminum
- Amifampridine
- Amineptine
- Amitriptyline
- Amitriptylinoxide
- Amoxapine
- Anileridine
- Apraclonidine Hydrochloride
- Arformoterol Tartrate
- Armodafinil
- Atomoxetine Hydrochloride
- Benzhydrocodone
- Benzthiazide
- Brimonidine Tartrate
- Brompheniramine
- Buprenorphine
- Bupropion
- Buspirone
- Butorphanol
- Calcium Carbonate
- Carbamazepine
- Chlorothiazide
- Chlorpheniramine
- Cimetidine
- Cinacalcet
- Citalopram
- Clobazam
- Clomipramine
- Clonidine
- Cobicistat
- Cocaine
- Codeine
- Cyclobenzaprine
- Desipramine
Other Interactions
Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.
Other Medical Problems
The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:
- Agitation, severe or
- Anxiety, severe or
- Arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), severe or
- Drug use disorder, history of or
- Glaucoma or
- Heart attack, recent or
- Heart failure or
- Heart or blood vessel disease (eg, cardiomyopathy, coronary artery disease) or
- Heart rhythm problems (eg, arrhythmia, ventricular arrhythmia), or family history of or
- Hypertension (high blood pressure), moderate to severe or
- Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) or
- Stroke, history of or
- Tension, severe—Should not be used in patients with these conditions.
- Bipolar disorder (manic-depressive illness), or a family history of or
- Blood vessel problems (eg, Raynaud disease) or
- Depression, or a family history of or
- Hypertension (high blood pressure), mild or
- Psychosis (mental illness), history of or
- Seizures, history of or
- Thyroid problems or
- Tourette's syndrome, or family history of—Use with caution. May make these conditions worse.
Proper Use
Take this medicine only as directed by your doctor. Do not take more or less of it, do not take it more often, and do not take it for a longer time than your doctor ordered. If too much is taken, it may become habit-forming (causing mental or physical dependence). If you or your child feel that the medicine is not working properly after you have taken it for several weeks, check with your doctor first and do not increase the dose.
This medicine should come with a Medication Guide. Read and follow these instructions carefully. Ask your doctor if you have any questions. Ask your pharmacist for the Medication Guide if you do not have one.
If you or your child use the oral liquid or tablet form of this medicine, and you take it 2 or 3 times a day. Take the first dose in the morning. The other doses may be taken during the day with 4 to 6 hours between doses.
It is best to take the extended-release capsule or sustained-release capsule in the morning. Taking this medicine in the afternoon or evening could make it harder for you to fall asleep.
Swallow the sustained-release capsule whole. Do not crush, break, or chew it.
Measure the oral liquid medicine with a marked measuring spoon, oral syringe, or medicine cup.
Dosing
The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.
The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.
- For attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD):
- For oral dosage form (extended-release capsules or sustained-release capsules):
- Adults and children 6 years of age and older—At first, 5 milligrams (mg) 1 or 2 times a day. Your doctor may adjust your dose as needed.
- Children younger than 6 years of age—Use is not recommended.
- For oral dosage form (solution or tablets):
- Adults and children 6 years of age and older—At first, 5 milligrams (mg) 1 or 2 times a day. Your doctor may adjust your dose as needed.
- Children 3 to 5 years of age—At first, 2.5 mg once a day. Your doctor may adjust your dose as needed.
- Children younger than 3 years of age—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
- For oral dosage form (extended-release capsules or sustained-release capsules):
- For narcolepsy:
- For oral dosage forms (extended-release capsules, solution, sustained-release capsules, or tablets):
- Adults and children 12 years of age and older—At first, 10 milligrams (mg) once a day. Your doctor may adjust your dose as needed.
- Children 6 to 12 years of age—At first, 5 mg once a day. Your doctor may adjust your dose as needed.
- Children younger than 6 years of age—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
- For oral dosage forms (extended-release capsules, solution, sustained-release capsules, or tablets):
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.
Storage
Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep from freezing.
Keep out of the reach of children.
Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.
Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use.
Precautions
It is very important that your doctor check your or your child's progress at regular visits to make sure this medicine is working properly. Blood tests may be needed to check for any unwanted effects.
Do not use this medicine if you are using or have used an MAO inhibitor (MAOI), including isocarboxazid [Marplan®], linezolid [Zyvox®], phenelzine [Nardil®], selegiline [Eldepryl®], tranylcypromine [Parnate®]), within the past 14 days.
This medicine may cause serious allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis which can be life-threatening and require immediate medical attention. Call your doctor right away if you have a rash, itching, trouble breathing, trouble swallowing, or any swelling of your hands, face, or mouth while you are using this medicine.
This medicine may cause serious heart or blood vessel problems. This may be more likely in patients who have a family history of heart disease. Check with your doctor right away if you or your child have chest pain, trouble breathing, or fainting while taking this medicine.
You or your child will also need to have your blood pressure and heart rate measured before starting this medicine and while you are using it. If you notice any change in your blood pressure, call your doctor right away. If you have questions about this, talk to your doctor.
This medicine may cause some people to feel a false sense of well-being or to become dizzy, lightheaded, or less alert than they are normally. It may also cause blurred vision or other vision problems. Do not drive or do anything else that could be dangerous until you or your child know how this medicine affects you.
Check with your doctor immediately if blurred vision, difficulty in reading, or any other change in vision occurs during or after treatment. Your doctor may want you or your child to have your eyes checked by an ophthalmologist (eye doctor).
Tell your doctor right away if you or your family notices any unusual changes in behavior, such as an increase in aggression, hostility, agitation, irritability, or suicidal thinking or behaviors. Also tell your doctor if you or your child have hallucinations or any unusual thoughts, especially if they are new or getting worse quickly.
If you or your child have been using this medicine for a long time and you think you may have become mentally or physically dependent on it, check with your doctor. Some signs that you may be dependent on dextroamphetamine are:
- A strong desire or need to continue taking the medicine.
- A need to increase the dose to receive the effects of the medicine.
- Withdrawal effects (for example, mental depression, nausea or vomiting, stomach cramps or pain, trembling, unusual tiredness or weakness) that occur after the medicine is stopped.
Symptoms of an overdose include: aggressive, agitation, angry, blurred vision, change in consciousness, chest pain or discomfort, confusion, dark urine, diarrhea, dizziness, faintness, or lightheadedness when getting up suddenly from a lying or sitting position, fast, pounding, or irregular heartbeat or pulse, fever, headache, inability to speak, loss of consciousness, muscle cramps, spasms, pains, or stiffness, nausea, nervousness, overactive reflexes, pain or discomfort in the arms, jaw, back, or neck, pale, clammy skin, palpitations, panic state, pounding in the ears, restlessness, seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there, seizures, shakiness in the legs, arms, hands, or feet, shivering, slow or fast heartbeat, slurred speech, sweating, talking or acting with excitement you cannot control, temporary blindness, thirst, trembling or shaking of hands or feet, trouble breathing, unusual tiredness or weakness, vomiting, or weakness in the arm or leg on one side of the body, sudden and severe. Call your doctor right away if you notice these symptoms.
This medicine may cause slow growth in children. If your child is using this medicine, the doctor will need to keep track of your child's height and weight to make sure that your child is growing properly.
This medicine may increase your risk of having seizures. This is more likely to occur in patients with a history of seizures or heart rhythm problems. Check with your doctor right away if this happens.
This medicine may cause Raynaud's phenomenon, which is a problem with blood circulation in the fingers or toes. Tell your doctor if you or your child have tingling or pain, a cold feeling, paleness, or skin color changes in the fingers or toes, especially when exposed to cold temperatures. Call your doctor right away if you have unexplained sores or ulcers on your fingers or toes.
Check with your doctor right away if you or your child have anxiety, restlessness, a fast heartbeat, fever, sweating, muscle spasms, twitching, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or see or hear things that are not there. These may be symptoms of a serious condition called serotonin syndrome. Your risk may be higher if you also take certain other medicines that affect serotonin levels in your body.
If you or your child will be taking this medicine in large doses for a long time, do not stop taking it without first checking with your doctor. Your doctor may want you or your child to gradually reduce the amount you are taking before stopping it completely.
Before you have any medical tests, tell the medical doctor in charge that you or your child are taking this medicine. The results of some tests may be affected by this medicine.
Avoid use with medications that increase stomach or urine alkalinity, including sodium bicarbonate, acetazolamide, and some thiazide diuretics (water pill).
Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines, herbal (eg, St. John's wort) or vitamin supplements, and medicine for appetite control, asthma, colds, cough, hayfever, or sinus problems.
Side Effects
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:
Rare
- Agitation
- delusions
- seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there
Incidence not known
- Blurred vision
- chest discomfort or pain
- constipation
- diarrhea
- difficulty breathing
- dizziness
- faintness
- false or unusual sense of well-being
- fast, pounding, or irregular heartbeat or pulse
- headache
- nausea
- pounding in the ears
- shakiness in the legs, arms, hands, or feet
- stomach pain
- swelling of the feet or lower legs
- trembling or shaking of the hands or feet
- twitching, twisting, or uncontrolled repetitive movements of the tongue, lips, face, arms, or legs
- unable to sleep
- uncontrolled vocal outbursts and/or tics (uncontrolled repeated body movements)
- unusual tiredness or weakness
- vomiting
Get emergency help immediately if any of the following symptoms of overdose occur:
Symptoms of overdose
- Aggressive
- agitation
- angry
- blurred vision
- change in consciousness
- chest pain or discomfort
- confusion
- dark urine
- diarrhea
- dizziness, faintness, or lightheadedness when getting up suddenly from a lying or sitting position
- fainting
- fast breathing
- fast, slow, or irregular heartbeat
- fever
- headache
- inability to speak
- loss of consciousness
- muscle cramps, spasms, pain, or stiffness
- nausea
- nervousness
- overactive reflexes
- pain or discomfort in the arms, jaw, back, or neck
- pale, clammy skin
- palpitations
- pounding in the ears
- restlessness
- seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there
- seizures
- shivering
- slow or fast heartbeat
- slurred speech
- stomach cramps
- sweating
- talking or acting with excitement you cannot control
- temporary blindness
- thirst
- tremor
- trouble breathing
- unusual tiredness or weakness
- vomiting
- weakness in the arm or leg on one side of the body, sudden and severe
Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
Incidence not known
- Bad, unusual, or unpleasant (after) taste
- change in taste
- decreased interest in sexual intercourse
- dry mouth
- hives or welts, itching, or skin rash
- inability to have or keep an erection
- indigestion
- loss in sexual ability, desire, drive, or performance
- passing of gas
- redness of the skin
- weight loss
Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
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