Following a screening period, all patients were tested at a practice visit (testing visit 1) and after each three-week treatment period (testing visits 2 and 3). Simulated driving performance was measured by STISIM, a computer simulator with a wide field of view created by three 25-inch monitors, at 2, 7 and 12 hours after taking medication. The STISIM was designed to assess critical driving skills, including situation awareness, hazard perception, risk assessment and decision-making under time pressure.
In addition, cognitive functioning (e.g., multi-tasking ability, information processing, etc.) was assessed using the CogScreen-AE at hour 0, 3.5, 8.5, and 13.5 hours after medication after each three-week treatment period (testing visits 2 and 3).
The majority of side effects during the trial were mild or moderate and consistent with known side effects of stimulant medications. The most common side effects reported by patients taking ADDERALL XR during the trial included decreased appetite, weight loss, dry mouth, insomnia and bruxism (teeth grinding). The most common side effects reported by patients taking placebo during the trial included decreased weight and headache.
The study was supported by Shire Pharmaceutical Development Inc.
About ADHD
Although there is no cure for ADHD, physicians and advocates are finding ways to help people with the condition learn to adapt to their school, home, social and work settings. ADHD usually can be successfully managed with a combination of treatments, such as medication and structured coping techniques. Psychostimulants, medications that stimulate areas of the brain that control attention, impulses, and self-regulation of behavior, remain among the most successful treatments for people with ADHD. In fact,
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Contact: Dr. Gary Kay, Washington Neuropsychological Institute
202-256-5617
Porter Novelli
18-Nov-2004