Methamphetamine Hydrochloride and Vopac

• Generic Name: methamphetamine
• Dosage Forms: n.a.
• Other Brand Names: Desoxyn, Desoxyn Gradumet

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).

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 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.

Has been used as an adjunct to caloric restriction in the short-term (i.e., a few weeks) treatment of exogenous obesity. However, because of limited efficacy (short-lived), such use no longer is recommended.

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 long-term benefit.

Misuse and abuse have experienced a resurgence, in large part, due to the relative ease with which methamphetamine can be synthesized clandestinely from readily available chemicals such as ephedrine, phenylpropanolamine (no longer commercially available in the US), or pseudoephedrine. Recent restrictions (including enactment of the Comprehensive Methamphetamine Control Act of 1996, the Methamphetamine Anti-Proliferation Act [MAPA] of 2000, and the Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act [CMEA] of 2005) on the availability of these compounds are hoped to reverse this resurgence in misuse and abuse.

• Generic Name: acetaminophen / codeine
• Dosage Forms: n.a.
• Other Brand Names: Tylenol with Codeine #3, Tylenol with Codeine #4, EZ III, Phenaphen with Codeine, Tylenol with Codeine, Capital and Codeine Suspension, Tylenol with Codeine #2, Vopac, Cocet, Cocet Plus, Capital w/Codeine, Tylenol w/ Codeine

Acetaminophen and codeine combination is used to relieve mild to moderate pain.

Acetaminophen is used to relieve pain and reduce fever in patients. It does not become habit-forming when taken for a long time. But acetaminophen may cause other unwanted effects when taken in large doses, including serious liver damage. Although rare, use of acetaminophen has been reported to lead to liver transplantation and death, usually at high doses and when multiple acetaminophen-containing products have been used.

Codeine belongs to the group of medicines called narcotic analgesics (pain medicines). It acts on the central nervous system (CNS) to relieve pain.

When codeine is used for a long time, it may become habit-forming, causing mental or physical dependence. However, people who have continuing pain should not let the fear of dependence keep them from using narcotics to relieve their pain. Mental dependence (addiction) is not likely to occur when narcotics are used for this purpose. Physical dependence may lead to withdrawal side effects if treatment is stopped suddenly. However, severe withdrawal side effects can usually be prevented by gradually reducing the dose over a period of time before treatment is stopped completely.

This medicine is available only under a restricted distribution program called the Opioid Analgesic REMS (Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy) program .