27mg Concerta gives flexibility to treatment of ADHD

ADHD is a condition that affects up to 3-5% of primary school aged children, and can have a dramatic impact on their quality of life – as well as those of their parents. One form of medication shown to be particularly useful in reducing the symptoms of ADHD are stimulants, including Concerta. Now, thanks to the introduction of a new 27mg tablet into the dosages of Concerta available, there is more flexibility in getting the exact dosage right for the patient, hopefully leading to better outcomes for both patients and their families.

Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a condition that affects between 3 and 5% of primary school aged children. The cause of ADHD remains unknown despite lots of research into the field, and is diagnosed on the clinical picture that it presents with.

One treatment shown to be highly effective in treating the symptoms of ADHD (such as failing to pay attention to details, being easily distracted, excessive inappropriate running and climbing etc) is the use of stimulant medications. While it may sound odd to give a stimulant to a hyperactive child, the results can be very positive.

Concerta is a long-acting stimulant medication that has shown to be effective in reducing the symptoms of ADHD in children, producing improvements in behaviour and performance among children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

The advantage of Concerta is that it is designed to have an effect that lasts for 12 hours, meaning that the tablet can be given before school begins and will continue to have an effect all through the day, without the need for additional tablets.

Previously, Concerta was only available in 18mg, 36mg and 54mg amounts, and while these have helped large amounts of children and adolescents, sometimes the jump from 18mg to 36mg is quite large. This means that patients may be kept on a lower dose for longer than they possibly should, or may have to make a jump to a higher dose when a lower one would be more suitable.

This should no longer be a problem however, with the release of a new 27mg tablet, allowing for greater flexibility with treatment. It means that dosages can be more accurately tailored to an individual patient and their situation resulting in better treatment and better results as well as lowering the chance of any side-effects from taking the medication. This is great news for those suffering from ADHD, as well as those who look after them.