ADHD Treatment: AZSTARYS

While there is no cure for ADHD, there are many treatments available. For ADHD treatments, there are stimulants and non-stimulants with this blog focusing on the novel stimulant known as AZSTARYS.

Stimulants work by increasing dopamine levels in the brain. As written about in the blog “What is ADHD?,” dopamine is a neurotransmitter essential in facilitating communication in the brain. Without dopamine, there is impairment resulting in inattention, emotional volatility, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, so by supplementing the brain with dopamine, stimulants reduce the effects of ADHD.

AZSTARYS is a novel stimulant that was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the Spring of 2021. This stimulant is novel in that it contains both d-MPH and SDX. d-MPH, dexmethylphenidate, is a short-term stimulant, meaning it only treats the effects of ADHD for 3-6 hour and begins working rather quickly, within 30 to 45 minutes. SDX, serdexmethylphenidate, is a long term stimulant meaning it takes longer to begin working, and it works in phases but ultimately lasts longer. By combining a short term and long term stimulant, AZSTARYS begins working quicker and for longer. Ultimately, the onset takes approximately 30 minutes, and it lasts for around 13 hours thereby reducing the number of pills that ADHD patients need to take. In comparison, ADHD patients who have to take short term stimulants take them 2-3 times a day, and those who take long term stimulants take them once a day with them only lasting 8-12 hours.