What Is the Drug Strattera?

Strattera is a norepinephrine reputake inhibitor that is also known as atomoxetine. This drug is used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, commonly referred to as ADHD. Strattera is only sold in the United States by Eli Lilly and Company. There is no form of generic strattera in the United States. However, there are generic forms for sale in other countries.

Use

Children, adolescents and adults can use strattera. However, the drug has not yet been tested in children under the age of six. Strattera can take up to a week before you see the effects. Strattera should be taken for at least 6 weeks before you decide to stop taking the medicine. The dosage should start out small and slowly be raised based on the effectiveness on the patient.

Tomoxetine

Strattera was originally called "tomoxetine" instead of atomoxetine. The name needed to be changed due to dispensing errors between the tomoxetine and a drug named "tamoxifen," which is a breast cancer drug. Many pharmacy employees were easily getting the two drugs mixed up due to their names being so closely alike.

Side Effects

Strattera has many side effects such as insomnia, nausea, constipation, dizziness, weight changes, and an increased heart rate. Many patients notice a drop or a rise in blood pressure, a decreased appetite and dry mouth. Teenagers can experience depression after prolonged use of the drug. There have also been two reported cases of a liver injury due to ingestion of the drug. In those two cases, the patients had their liver return to normal after they stopped taking strattera. There are other rare side effects such as mood disorders and abnormal thought patterns.

Drug Abuse

The potential for drug abuse in Strattera has been claimed as being very low. However, this claim has not been extensively researched. There have been a total of two studies performed that suggest this claim. The effects of the medicine take up to a week to start working and there are no effects on someone who does not take the drug regularly.

Ingredients

The Strattera capsule is made of gelatin, red and yellow iron oxide, edible blank ink, and sodium laryl sulfate. Strattera is chemically designed with a molecular mass equal to 291.82. The drug inside is made up of a white powder, dimethicone and a gelatin starch. Each capsule also contains a color ingredient such as Blue No. 2 depending on the color of the capsule. Strattera can come in a blue capsule, blue and white capsule, yellow and white capsule, yellow and blue, or a solid white capsule depending on the strength.

Resources

• ADHD Medications