Fioricet is a medication approved by the FDA for the treatment of three specific types of headaches including: tension, muscle contraction, and post-dural puncture. It contains a unique blend of a barbiturate (butalbital 50 mg), a pain reliever (acetaminophen 300 mg), and a stimulant (caffeine 40 mg); hence the reason it is sometimes abbreviated as Butal-Acet-Caff. …
Subutex and Suboxone are drugs that were approved by the FDA in 2002 for the treatment of opioid dependence. Both drugs contain the active ingredient buprenorphine, a semisynthetic opioid that acts as primarily as a partial mu-opioid receptor agonist. Buprenorphine also acts as an antagonist at the kappa and delta opioid receptors. Buprenorphine’s mechanism of …
Methadone was originally developed in Germany during the 1930s as a synthetic alternative to opium. Post World War II, the United States obtained all research records for the substance and noted that it was less sedating and less of a respiratory depressant than morphine. In 1947, Methadone was approved by the FDA for the treatment …
Methylphenidate is considered the first medication approved for the treatment of the condition known as “hyperactivity” in the 1960s. As attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder gained more mainstream attention in the 1990s, the number of diagnoses continued to skyrocket, increasing the demand for new treatments. By the year 1996, mixed amphetamine salts (i.e. Adderall) were approved for the …
Provigil (modafinil) is a drug that was approved in 1998 for the treatment of excessive daytime sleepiness associated with narcolepsy. It has since been granted FDA approval for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea as well as shift work sleep disorder. Adderall (mixed amphetamine salts) is a psychostimulant drug that was initially approved in 1996 …
With the increasing number of ADHD diagnoses, many individuals are turning to pharmaceutical psychostimulant medications as a means to alleviate symptoms. Historically, one of the most popular and effective treatment options for the treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder is Adderall, a medication comprised of 75% dextroamphetamine salts and 25% levoamphetamine salts. Adderall’s popularity hasn’t waned …
Nortriptyline (Pamelor) is a tricyclic antidepressant that is commonly used as a second-line treatment for major depression. It is also sometimes prescribed for conditions such as chronic fatigue syndrome, bedwetting in children, migraine headaches, and neuropathic pain. The drug may also be effective for some individuals in managing symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This …