Marilyn A. D. Yee completed her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor in 1995. Dr. Yee received further training for two years in two pharmacy residencies offered by the University Of Arizona College Of Pharmacy, and the University Medical Center in Tucson, Arizona.
Jay W. Marks, MD, is a board-certified internist and gastroenterologist. He graduated from Yale University School of Medicine and trained in internal medicine and gastroenterology at UCLA/Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
NOTE: March 25, 2005, pemoline (Cylert) has been withdrawn from the market because of declining sales.
GENERIC NAME: pemoline
BRAND NAME: Cylert, PemADD
DRUG CLASS AND MECHANISM: Pemoline is an oral drug that is used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as part of an overall treatment program for children with ADHD. Pemoline has effects that are similar to methylphenidate (Ritalin) which also is used to treat ADHD. Pemoline and methylphenidate both have the ability to stimulate the brain, probably by affecting neurotransmitters, the chemicals in the brain that nerves use to communicate with each other. Although both drugs are considered stimulants, they have different effects on neurotransmitters in the brain. Pemoline was approved for use by the FDA in 1975.
STORAGE: Pemoline should be stored below 30°C(86°F).
PRESCRIBED FOR: Pemoline is used as part of a treatment program for children with ADHD. Other FDA unapproved uses include narcolepsy, fatigue, and excessive daytime sleepiness. (Narcolepsy is a chronic disease of the brain and spinal cord most commonly characterized by a recurrent, uncontrollable desire to sleep.)
DOSING: Pemoline should be taken in the morning. It may take up to three weeks to observe an effect. Doses should be reduced if poor kidney function exists.
Careful dosing should be done when pemoline is used because of a serious risk for liver toxicity and/or liver failure. Blood tests are necessary to evaluate patients for liver damage before and during pemoline therapy.
DRUG INTERACTIONS: There are no adequate studies of drug interactions with pemoline. Reports suggest that pemoline may decrease the effectiveness of drugs that are used to manage seizures such as phenytoin (Dilantin) or carbamazepine (Tegretol). It is not clear if there are interactions between pemoline and alcohol.
PREGNANCY: There are no adequate studies of pemoline in pregnant women.
NURSING MOTHERS: It is unknown if pemoline is excreted in breast milk.
SIDE EFFECTS: The most common side effects of pemoline are insomnia and anorexia (decreased appetite). A rapid heart rate may occur if large doses of pemoline are taken. Rash and aplastic anemia have occurred rarely with pemoline. Abdominal discomfort, nausea and diarrhea may occur during therapy with pemoline.
Pemoline may cause serious liver toxicity and/or failure. Blood tests should be done before and during treatment to monitor for liver toxicity. Pemoline may suppress normal growth in children, though this effect has not been established clearly. It also may exacerbate behavioral disturbances and thought disorders in psychotic children. Pemoline, as well as other stimulants, may precipitate motor and vocal tics and Tourette's syndrome, but these side effects are likely to be transient.
A number of vital tasks carried out during sleep help maintain good health and enable people to function at their best. Sleep needs vary from individual to individual and change throughout your life. Not getting enough sleep can hurt memory performance, health, and your mood.
ADHD afflicts approximately 3 percent to 5 percent of school-age children and an estimated 60 percent of those maintain the disorder into adulthood. Symptoms of adult ADHD include chronic lateness, anxiety, low self esteem, employment problems, difficulty controlling anger, impulsiveness, poor organization skills, procrastination, chronic boredom among others.
Learning disabilities can cause an individual to have trouble learning and using skills such as reading, listening, writing, reading, speaking, reasoning, and performing mathematics. There is no cure for learning disabilities. Parents and teachers working together to properly diagnose learning disabilities can properly plan a course of education. For some, medication may be appropriate as complimentary treatment.
Narcolepsy, a chronic disease of the central nervous system causes have not been fully determined. Some theories include abnormalities in hypocretin neurons in the brain or an autoimmune disorder. Symptoms of narcolepsy include excessive daytime sleepiness, cataplexy, hypnagogic hallucinations, sleep paralysis, disturbed nocturnal sleep, and automatic behavior. Diagnosis of narcolepsy is based on a clinical evaluation, specific questionnaires, sleep logs or diaries, and the results of sleep laboratory tests. Treatments of narcolepsy symptoms include medication and lifestyle changes.
Learning disability is a general term that describes specific kinds of
learning problems. A learning disability can cause a person to have trouble
learning and using certain skills. The skills most often affected are:
reading,
writing,
listening,
speaking,
reasoning, and
doing math.
Learning disabilities (LD) vary from person to person. One person with
learning disabilities may
not have the same kind of learning problems as another person with learning
disabilities. One person may have trouble with reading and writing. Another person with
learning disabilities
may have problems with understanding math. Still another person may have trouble
in each of these areas, as well as with understanding what people are saying.
Researchers think that learning disabilities are caused by differences in how
a person's brain works and how...
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