Central nervous system stimulants

Encyclopedia of Medicine by Nancy Ross-Flanigan

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Other side effects are possible with central nervous system stimulants. Anyone who has unusual symptoms during or after treatment with these drugs should get in touch with his or her doctor.

Interactions

Central nervous system stimulants may interact with many other medicines. When this happens, the effects of one or both of the drugs may change or the risk of side effects may be greater.

Anyone who takes central nervous system stimulants should let the doctor know all other medicines he or she is taking. Among the drugs that may interact with central nervous system stimulants are:

• Other central nervous system stimulants
• Caffeine
• Diet pills (appetite suppressants)
• Cocaine
• Betablockers such as Tenormin, Inderal, and Lopressor
• Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAO) such as Nardil or Parnate, used to treat conditions including depression and Parkinson's disease
• Tricyclic antidepressants such as imipramine (Tofranil) or desipramine (Norpramin)
• Thyroid hormones
• Digitalis heart medicines
• Medicine for colds, sinus problems, hay fever, asthma, or other allergies or breathing problems (including nose drops or sprays)
• Amantadine (Symmetrel), used to treat flu and Parkinson's disease
• Cesamet, used to prevent nausea and vomiting after treatment with anticancer drugs
• Orap, used to treat Tourette syndrome
• The cough medicine Ulone.

The list above may not include every drug that interacts with central nervous system stimulants. Be sure to check with a doctor or pharmacist before combining central nervous stimulants with any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter) medicine.

Key Terms

Anxiety

Worry or tension in response to real or imagined stress, danger, or dreaded situations. Physical reactions, such as fast pulse, sweating, trembling, fatigue, and weakness may accompany anxiety.

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

A condition in which a person has an unusually high activity level and a short attention span. People with the disorder may act impulsively and may have learning and behavioral problems.

Central nervous system

The brain and spinal cord.

Depression

A mental condition in which people feel extremely sad and lose interest in life. People with depression may also have sleep problems and loss of appetite, and may have trouble in concentrating and carrying out everyday activities.

Tourette's syndrome

A condition in which a person has tics and other involuntary behavior, such as barking, sniffing, swearing, grunting, and making unnecessary movements.

Withdrawal symptoms

A group of physical or mental symptoms that may occur when a person suddenly stops using a drug on which he or she has become dependent.

Further Reading

For Your Information

Periodicals

• "Are our children overmedicated?" Parade, (October 12, 1997): 4.
• "Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: not just for kids." Mayo Clinic Health Letter, 13 (September 1995): 6.
• "Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: there is no easy answer on whether to medicate or not." British Medical Journal, 315 (October 11, 1997): 894.
• "The run on Ritalin: attention deficit disorder and stimulant treatment in the 1990s." The Hastings Center Report, 26 (March-April 1996): 12.

  Organizations

• Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Disorders (CH.A.D.D.). 499 N.W. 70th Avenue, Suite 109, Plantation, FL 33317. (305) 587-3700.

  Other

• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder Pamphlet. National Institute of Mental Health, 1994.
• Facts about childhood hyperactivity Pamphlet. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, 1990.

Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine. Gale Research, 1999.