Alahist DM and Amphetamine Sulfate

• Generic Name: brompheniramine / dextromethorphan / phenylephrine
• Dosage Forms: n.a.
• Other Brand Names: Alahist DM, BP Allergy DM, Bromatan-DM, Children's Cold & Cough DM, Cold & Cough Childrens, Dimaphen DM, Dimetapp Cold & Cough, Dimetapp DM Cold & Cough, DuraTan DM, Rynex DM, TL-Hist DM, Tussi-Pres B, Dimetapp DM Cold/Cough, Glenmax PEB DM FORTE, Glenmax PEB DM, LoHist-DM, Niva-Hist DM, TGQ 75PEH/4BRM/15DM

Brompheniramine is an antihistamine that reduces the effects of the natural chemical histamine in the body. Histamine can produce symptoms of sneezing, itching, watery eyes, and runny nose.

Dextromethorphan is a cough suppressant. It affects the signals in the brain that trigger cough reflex.

Phenylephrine is a decongestant that shrinks blood vessels in the nasal passages. Dilated blood vessels can cause nasal congestion (stuffy nose).

The combination of brompheniramine, dextromethorphan, and phenylephrine is used to treat runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, itching, watery eyes, cough, and sinus congestion caused by allergies, the common cold, or the flu.

Alahist DM will not treat a cough that is caused by smoking, asthma, or emphysema.

Alahist DM 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.