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There are no specific medications that counteract the effects of amphetamines or that prolong abstinence from and reduce the abuse of amphetamines. However, there are a number of medications that are FDA-approved for other illnesses that might also be useful in treating amphetamine addiction. Recent findings indicate that bupropion, the anti-depressant marketed as Wellbutrin, may reduce a methamphetamine-induced high as well as drug cravings elicited by drug-related cues. This medication and others are currently in clinical trials, while new compounds are being developed and studied in preclinical models. In addition, the P300 event-related potential recorded from the human scalp is modulated by catecholaminergic neurotransmission 174, 175, and it exhibits reduced amplitude during early abstinence from chronic methamphetamine abuse. A rat model reported 15 days of methamphetamine reduced P300 after 7−10 days of abstinence, indicating that the deficit was not an acute effect of methamphetamine 176.

Can You Overdose on Amphetamines?

Identifying addiction isn’t always easy and it’s best to leave diagnosis to healthcare professionals. However, it can be helpful to know the diagnostic criteria if you think that you or someone you care about has an addiction to amphetamines. When amphetamines are injected or smoked, they reach the brain quickly and produce a “rush,” or surge of euphoria, immediately. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional. Use with medications that increase stomach or urine alkalinity, including sodium bicarbonate, acetazolamide, and some thiazide diuretics (water pill) should be avoided.

Notes

If you feel that the medicine is not working properly after using it for several weeks, check with your doctor first and do not increase the dose. 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. No information is available on the relationship of age to the effects of amphetamine tablets in geriatric patients.

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Diazepam is an ideal choice if intravenous access is available; otherwise, intramuscular lorazepam or midazolam is appropriate. 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. 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.

• In 2000, the number of prescriptions for amphetamine exceeded eight million, a 1600% increase over nine years.
• Noradrenergic effects of amphetamine are less well studied, but are also believed to exist at clinically relevant plasma levels of the drug 8.
• Because the pharmacokinetics of amphetamines differ between children and adults, reevaluation of the potential for adverse effects of chronic treatment of adults is essential.
• This medication and others are currently in clinical trials, while new compounds are being developed and studied in preclinical models.
• Methamphetamine was developed early in the 20th century from its parent drug, amphetamine, and was used originally in nasal decongestants and bronchial inhalers.
• Evekeo is sometimes used to treat obesity in people who have not lost weight with diets or other treatments.

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Amphetamines and amphetamine derivatives have been used in the past to treat narcolepsy. ADHD is characterized by hyperactivity, irritability, mood instability, attention difficulties, lack of organization, and impulsive behaviors. Amphetamine is a powerful stimulator of the central nervous system. It is used to treat some medical conditions, but it is also highly addictive, with a history of abuse.

A person’s tolerance begins slowly, which could result in dependence over time. If you take amphetamines and feel you are dependent on the drug, talk with your healthcare provider. Always follow your healthcare provider’s instructions when taking amphetamines. Depending on what type and the dosage of the prescribed amphetamine, take extended-release capsules once daily and immediate-release tablets and oral solutions up to three times per day.

In 1991, there were still fewer than 500,000 annual prescriptions written for amphetamine in the US. Over the ensuing decade and a half, however, the amount of amphetamine produced and the number of prescriptions written in the United States increased dramatically. The different types of amphetamines—and related drugs such as methylphenidate (e.g., Ritalin)—are stimulant drugs. They act like adrenaline, a hormone that is one of the body’s natural stimulants. Other drugs with similar effects include cocaine, ecstasy, caffeine, and many others.

• In addition, 1,306 kg of methamphetamine was used primarily for treatment of obesity, although it was also approved for treatment of ADHD 11.
• During periods of non-use, the user may recall the feeling of euphoria produced by the drug and desire to take it again.
• The current illicit amphetamine epidemic is increasing the incidence of this problem.
• When used for medical purposes, the doses are much lower than those typical among abusers of the drugs.
• According to the 2019 National Drug Strategy Household Survey, meth/amphetamine use has significantly declined since 2001.
• Follow all directions on your prescription label and read all medication guides or instruction sheets.

Methamphetamine resembles shaved glass slivers or clear rock salt. 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. Do not drive or do anything else that could be dangerous until you or your child know how this medicine affects you. Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use. Amphetamine is also used for weight reduction in patients with obesity. Enter medications to view a detailed interaction report using our Drug Interaction Checker.

During drug withdrawal, long-term users may need to be hospitalized so that they can be observed for suicidal behavior. Otherwise, no treatment is generally needed for people experiencing withdrawal. Amphetamines include the drug amphetamine and its many variants such as methamphetamine (speed or crystal meth) and methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, Ecstasy, or Adam). Methamphetamine is the most commonly used amphetamine in the United States. Amphetamines are usually taken by mouth but can be snorted, smoked, or injected.

• The average household teaspoon may not hold the right amount of liquid.
• Amphetamines can be helpful to treat conditions like ADHD or narcolepsy.
• This results in methamphetamine being present in the brain longer, which ultimately leads to prolonged stimulant effects.
• Healthcare providers may prescribe amphetamines to people with ADHD or narcolepsy.
• It is possible to build up a tolerance to amphetamines, which means the person using the drug needs to take larger doses to achieve the same effect.

Effects of prolonged stimulant treatment have not been fully explored, and understanding such effects is a research priority 1. After the first occurrence, paranoid symptoms can be invoked by psychosocial stress, but also readily reappear after amphetamine injection. This behavioral sensitization is thought to be mediated by catecholaminergic supersensitivity. Concerns have been voiced that, in addition to neurobiological adaptations, prolonged exposure to amphetamine could damage components of the central nervous system. The evidence for neurotoxicity in rodents derives almost exclusively from studies utilizing very high parenterally administered doses of the drugs, typically administered in a “binge” pattern; i.e., four successive injections at 2-hr intervals 41, 42. High doses of amphetamines have produced enlarged chromatolytic medulla neurons in cats 43, and parenteral dosing in rodents how long do amphetamines stay in urine can also produce swollen or reduced dopaminergic axons, and serotonin deficits.