Amphetamine

Description

amphetamine?

Amphetamine is a central nervous system stimulant that affects chemicals in the brain and nerves that contribute to hyperactivity and impulse control.

Amphetamine is used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

The Evekeo brand of amphetamine is used to treat ADHD and also narcolepsy. Evekeo is sometimes used to treat obesity in people who have not lost weight with diets or other treatments.

Amphetamine is not approved for use in children less than 6 years of age, with the exception of Evekeo (approved for children age 3 and older).

Warnings

Amphetamine may be habit-forming, and this medicine is a drug of abuse. Tell your doctor if you have had problems with drug or alcohol abuse.

Stimulants have caused stroke, heart attack, and sudden death in people with high blood pressure, heart disease, or a heart defect.

Do not use this medicine if you have used an MAO inhibitor in the past 14 days, such as isocarboxazid, linezolid, methylene blue injection, phenelzine, or tranylcypromine.

Amphetamine may cause new or worsening psychosis (unusual thoughts or behavior), especially if you have a history of depression, mental illness, or bipolar disorder.

Amphetamine may cause blood circulation problems that can cause numbness, pain, or discoloration in your fingers or toes.

Call your doctor right away if you have: signs of heart problems – chest pain, feeling light-headed or short of breath; signs of psychosis – paranoia, aggression, new behavior problems, seeing or hearing things that are not real; signs of circulation problems – unexplained wounds on your fingers or toes.

Before taking this medicine

You should not use amphetamine if you are allergic to any stimulant medicine, or if you have used an MAO inhibitor in the past 14 days, such as isocarboxazid, linezolid, methylene blue injection, phenelzine, or tranylcypromine.

You may not be able to use amphetamine if you have:

• chest pain or breathing problems caused by heart disease;
• hardening of the arteries;
• moderate to severe high blood pressure;
• overactive thyroid;
• a history of drug abuse; or
• if you are agitated.

Tell your doctor if you also take opioid medicine, herbal products, or medicine for depression, mental illness, Parkinson’s disease, migraine headaches, serious infections, or prevention of nausea and vomiting. An interaction with amphetamine could cause a serious condition called serotonin syndrome.

Stimulants have caused stroke, heart attack, and sudden death in certain people. Tell your doctor if you have:

• heart problems or a congenital heart defect;
• high blood pressure; or
• a family history of heart disease or sudden death.

Amphetamine is not approved for use by anyone younger than 3 years old.

To make sure this medicine is safe for you, tell your doctor if you or anyone in your family has had:

• depression, mental illness, bipolar disorder, psychosis, or suicidal thoughts or actions;
• problems with drug or alcohol abuse;
• motor tics (muscle twitches) or Tourette’s syndrome;
• kidney disease;
• a thyroid disorder;
• seizures or epilepsy;
• an abnormal brain wave test (EEG);
• coronary artery disease (clogged arteries); or
• blood circulation problems in the hands or feet.

Taking amphetamine during pregnancy can cause premature birth, low birth weight, or withdrawal symptoms in the newborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

Amphetamine can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.