Activase and Amphetamine Sulfate

• Generic Name: alteplase
• Dosage Forms: injection
• Other Brand Names: Activase, Cathflo Activase

Activase is a thrombolytic (THROM-bo-LIT-ik) drug, sometimes called a "clot-busting" drug. It helps your body produce a substance that dissolves unwanted blood clots.

Activase is used to treat a stroke caused by a blood clot or other obstruction in a blood vessel. This medicine is also used to prevent death from a heart attack (acute myocardial infarction).

Activase is also used to treat a blood clot in the lung (pulmonary embolism).

Activase is also used to dissolve blood clots that have formed in or around a catheter placed inside a blood vessel. This improve the flow of medicines injected in through the catheter, or blood drawn out through the catheter.

Activase may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

• Generic Name: amphetamine / dextroamphetamine
• Dosage Forms: n.a.
• Other Brand Names: Adderall, Adderall XR, Mydayis

Used as an adjunct to psychological, educational, social, and other remedial measures in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (hyperkinetic disorder, hyperkinetic syndrome of childhood, minimal brain dysfunction).

Can be used for ADHD in pediatric (children, adolescents) as well as adult patients.

Almost all studies comparing behavioral therapy versus stimulants alone have shown a much stronger therapeutic effect from stimulants than from behavioral therapy, and stimulants (e.g., amphetamines, methylphenidate) remain the drugs of choice for the management of ADHD.

Drug therapy is not indicated in all patients with ADHD, and such therapy should be considered only after a complete evaluation including medical history has been performed.

Use should depend on age, adequate diagnosis (based on medical, special psychological, educational, and social resources), and the clinician’s assessment of the severity and duration of symptoms and should not depend solely on one or more behavioral characteristics.

Not recommended for ADHD symptoms associated with acute stress reactions.

Used as a stimulant to reduce daytime sleepiness in the management of narcolepsy.

Amphetamines remain the mainstay of treatment for narcolepsy based on a long record of clinical experience.

Tolerance to the clinical effects may develop with long-term therapy, particularly at high dosages.

Has been used as an adjunct to caloric restriction and behavioral modification in the short-term treatment of exogenous obesity. However, because of the limited efficacy (short-lived) and risk of abuse, such use no longer is included in the FDA-approved labeling and is discouraged.

The anorexigenic effect appears to be temporary, seldom lasting more than a few weeks, and tolerance may occur.

Obesity usually is a chronic disease, and short-term or intermittent therapy with anorexigenic drugs is unlikely to maintain a long-term benefit.