$Unique_ID{BRK03121} $Pretitle{} $Title{dextroamphetamine} $Subject{Dexedrine Smith Kline French Spansules Oxydess II Vortech Spancap 1 Amphetamine dextroamphetamine central nervous system stimulant mental alertness decreases fatigue narcolepsy abnormal behavioral syndrome hyperkinetic attention deficit disorder appetite suppressant dieting nerve impulses appetite control center} $Volume{} $Log{ Dexedrine Spansules*0312101.scf} Copyright (C) 1993 Publications International, Ltd. dextroamphetamine ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ BRAND NAMES (Manufacturers) Dexedrine (Smith Kline & French) Dexedrine Spansules (Smith Kline & French) dextroamphetamine sulfate (various manufacturers) Oxydess II (Vortech) Spancap No. 1 (Vortech) TYPE OF DRUG Amphetamine INGREDIENT dextroamphetamine DOSAGE FORMS Tablets (5 mg and 10 mg) Sustained-release capsules (5 mg, 10 mg, and 15 mg) STORAGE Dextroamphetamine tablets and capsules should be stored at room temperature in tightly closed containers. USES This medication is a central nervous system stimulant that increases mental alertness and decreases fatigue. It is used to treat narcolepsy (problems in staying awake) and abnormal behavioral syndrome in children (hyperkinetic syndrome or attention deficit disorder). The way this acts to control abnormal behavioral syndrome in children is not known. Dextroamphetamine is also used as an appetite suppressant during the first few weeks of dieting (while you are trying to establish new eating habits). It is thought to relieve hunger by altering nerve impulses to the appetite control center in the brain. Its effectiveness as an appetite suppressant lasts only for short periods (three to 12 weeks), however. TREATMENT In order to avoid stomach upset, you can take dextroamphetamine with food or with a full glass of milk or water (unless your doctor directs you to do otherwise). If this medication is being used to treat narcolepsy or abnormal behavioral syndrome in children, the first dose each day should be taken soon after awakening. Subsequent doses should be spaced at four- to six-hour intervals. If this medication has been prescribed as a diet aid, it should be taken one hour before each meal. The sustained-release form of this medication should be swallowed whole. Breaking, chewing, or crushing these capsules destroys their sustained-release activity and may increase the side effects. In order to avoid difficulty in falling asleep, the last dose of this medication each day should be taken four to six hours before bedtime (tablets) or ten to 14 hours before bedtime (sustained-release capsules). If you miss a dose of this medication, take the missed dose as soon as possible, unless it is almost time for your next dose. In that case, do not take the missed dose at all; just return to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double the next dose. SIDE EFFECTS Minor. Abdominal cramps, constipation, diarrhea, dizziness, dry mouth, false sense of well-being, insomnia, loss of appetite, irritability, nausea, overstimulation, restlessness, unpleasant taste in the mouth, or vomiting. These side effects should disappear as your body adjusts to the drug. To prevent constipation, increase the amount of fiber in your diet (fresh fruits and vegetables, bran, salads, and whole-grain cereals and breads), exercise, and drink more water (unless your doctor directs you to do otherwise). Dry mouth can be relieved by sucking on ice chips or a piece of hard candy or by chewing sugarless gum. If you feel dizzy, sit or lie down for a while; get up from a sitting or lying position slowly. Major. Tell your doctor about any side effects that are persistent or particularly bothersome. IT IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT TO TELL YOUR DOCTOR about blurred vision, confusion, fatigue, headaches, impotence, mental depression, nosebleeds, palpitations, rash, sweating, tightness in the chest, tremors, or uncoordinated movements. INTERACTIONS Dextroamphetamine interacts with several other types of medications: 1. Use of dextroamphetamine within 14 days of use of a monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor (such as isocarboxazid, pargyline, phenelzine, and tranylcypromine) can result in high blood pressure and other side effects. 2. Barbiturate medications, certain tranquilizers (especially chlorpromazine), and tricyclic antidepressants can reverse the effect of this medication. 3. Amphetamines can decrease the blood-pressure-lowering effects of antihypertensive medications (especially guanethidine) and may alter dosage requirements for insulin and oral antidiabetic medication in diabetic patients. 4. The side effects of other central nervous system stimulants (such as caffeine, nonprescription appetite suppressants, and cough, sinus, allergy, asthma, or cold preparations) may be increased by dextroamphetamine. 5. Acetazolamide and sodium bicarbonate can decrease the elimination of the amphetamines from the body, thereby prolonging their duration of action. BE SURE TO TELL YOUR DOCTOR about any medications you are currently taking, especially any listed above. WARNINGS * Tell your doctor about unusual or allergic reactions you have had to any medications, especially to dextroamphetamine or other central nervous system stimulants (such as albuterol, amphetamine, ephedrine, epinephrine, isoproterenol, metaproterenol, norepinephrine, phenylephrine, phenylpropanolamine, pseudoephedrine, and terbutaline). * Tell your doctor if you have a history of drug abuse or if you have ever had problems with agitation, diabetes mellitus, glaucoma, heart or blood vessel disease, high blood pressure, or thyroid disease. * Dextroamphetamine can mask the symptoms of extreme fatigue and can cause dizziness. Your ability to perform tasks that require alertness, such as driving a car or operating potentially dangerous equipment, may be decreased. Appropriate caution should, therefore, be taken. * Before surgery or other medical or dental treatment, tell your doctor or dentist you are taking this drug. * Dextroamphetamine is related to amphetamine and may be habit-forming when taken for long periods of time (both physical and psychological dependence can occur). Therefore, you should not increase the dosage of this medication or take it for longer than 12 weeks unless you first consult your doctor. It is also important that you not stop taking this medication abruptly; fatigue, sleep disorders, mental depression, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, or pain could occur. Your doctor may, therefore, want to decrease the dosage gradually in order to prevent these side effects. * Some of these products contain the color additive FD&C Yellow No. 5 (tartrazine), which can cause allergic-type reactions (difficulty in breathing, fainting, rash, wheezing) in certain susceptible individuals. * Be sure to tell your doctor if you are pregnant. Although side effects in humans have not been thoroughly studied, some of the amphetamines have caused heart, brain, and biliary tract abnormalities in the fetuses of animals that received large doses of these drugs during pregnancy. Also, tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding an infant. Small amounts of this drug pass into breast milk and can cause unwanted side effects in the nursing infant. ---------------- The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace the counsel and advice of your personal physician. Promptly consulting your doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical problem.