Amphetamines: Uses, Side Effects, and Addiction Treatment

Amphetamine Addiction

Amphetamine is FDA-approved for the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy. It has indications as a first-line agent for ADHD in adults and children six years of age and older. Lisdexamfetamine, a long-acting amphetamine medication, is FDA-approved for the treatment of a binge-eating disorder. Tables 1 and ​and22 display assessing outcome measures Amphetamine Addiction and statistically significant effects in the studies.

International Patients

To date, there is no systematic review to specifically show the efficacy of BCBT for treating amphetamines abusers in the world. In other words, it is not documented how BCBT is efficacious for treating amphetamine abuse/use disorder alone or in combination with pharmacological treatments in other countries. The current systematic review aims to address these two gaps in the research literature. There was no difference in MA use by UDS in the treatment arm compared with placebo in the extended-release studies 29, 56.

Risk of bias in included studies

Amphetamine Addiction

Although d-amphetamine is a competitive substrate for DAT rather than a classical reuptake inhibitor, these same principles apply to its pharmacological action. Thus, the rate and magnitude of neuronal dopamine release produced by amphetamine is absolutely dependent on the rate and concentration of drug that reaches DAT sites in the brain (Heal et al., 2008, 2009). There has been little research conducted in humans on this kinetic course using brain imaging, but it seems likely that the same rules apply. In addition to this, patients who have an amphetamine use disorder and are entering substance abuse treatment centers have a higher likelihood of being referred by the criminal justice system than patients with all other substance use disorders combined (59% versus 38%).

Amphetamine Addiction

Treatment

  • Amphetamines are also indirect neurotransmitters leading to increased cytosolic levels of monoamines.
  • For example, in one study where no participant returned un-used study drug, 100% adherence was inferred as opposed to examining if there were other reasons (e.g. discarding drug).
  • Further and substantial investment to determine effective pharmacotherapies is required.

Lisdexamfetamine has no affinity for a wide panel of transporters including DAT and NET (Vyvanse®, US Product Label) or receptors, ion channels, allosteric binding sites and enzymes (Table 3). This profile is consistent with lisdexamfetamine being pharmacologically inactive. Although there is no definitive information on the subject, the large molecular size and polar characteristics of lisdexamfetamine predict that the parent molecule is unlikely to cross the blood–brain barrier. In vitro experiments revealed that the metabolism of lisdexamfetamine to d-amphetamine occurs in red blood cells by rate-limited enzymatic hydrolysis (Pennick, 2010). Although in vitro experiments provide a good insight into individual mechanisms, the efficacy of amphetamine relative to other indirect monoamine agonists, for example classical reuptake inhibitors, can only be estimated from in vivo experiments. Translocation of monoamines from the cytosolic pool into the storage pool is performed by a similar active transporter system, the vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) (Fei et al., 2008; Fleckenstein et al., 2009; Ramamoorthy et al., 2011).

Talk to your healthcare provider if you become dependent on any drug you are taking. Approved by the FDA in the early 2000s, Adderall is an amphetamine and dextroamphetamine combined. If you or a loved one is struggling with amphetamine addiction, American Addiction Centers (AAC) is here to help. We have trusted facilities across the country and are a leading provider of addiction treatment programs. You can contact one of our admissions navigators 24/7 free of charge at to check your health insurance coverage, get help finding treatment, and get started on the road to amphetamine addiction recovery.

However, meth has a high potential for abuse, which can mean dangerous and fatal consequences. Meth is smoked, snorted, injected, and can reach the brain quickly, causing considerable damage. Amphetamines are powerful stimulant drugs that affect the central nervous system.

Amphetamines’ Effects on Your Brain

The AUC0-infinity shows that the overall drug exposure was identical irrespective of the route of administration. Importantly, intravenous injection of lisdexamfetamine did not either significantly increase the Cmax of d-amphetamine, nor did it significantly reduce its tmax. Comparison 1 Any pharmacological treatment versus Placebo, Outcome 3 Average score in withdrawal symptoms.

Amphetamine Addiction

An additional study reported on naltrexone and n-acetyl cysteine (see below). Of the 43 studies, 38 (88%) reported on the total number of participants who completed the study, while five studies (12%) did not 36, 39, 57, 62, 64. Of the 38 reporting on study completion rates, the total number of participants randomised was 3733 (92% of the total) and of these, 2298 participants completed the study (61.6%).

Use of hallucinogens can produce different signs and symptoms, depending on the drug. The most common hallucinogens are lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and phencyclidine (PCP). Synthetic cannabinoids, also called K2 or Spice, are sprayed on dried herbs and then smoked, but can be prepared as an herbal tea. Despite manufacturer claims, these are chemical compounds rather than “natural” or harmless products. These drugs can produce a “high” similar to marijuana and have become a popular but dangerous alternative. People use cannabis by smoking, eating or inhaling a vaporized form of the drug.

Amphetamine Addiction

Types of Amphetamines

Research shows that when treating addictions to opioids (prescription pain relievers or drugs like heroin or fentanyl), medication should be the first line of treatment, usually combined with some form of behavioral therapy or counseling. Medications are also available to help treat addiction to alcohol and nicotine. For objective outcomes (discontinuation rates), blindness of participants, personnel, and outcome assessors differed across studies. Because we judged that the objective outcome was unlikely to be influenced by the lack of blinding, all studies were determined to be at low risk of bias.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *