Non stimulant meaning
Stimulant vs Non-Stimulant ADHD Medications
As many as 1 in 10 U.S. children now has attention deficit disorder (ADHD or ADD). Luckily, there are safe, effective treatments.
The best ADHD treatment strategies are multimodal ones — combinations of several different, complementary approaches that work together to reduce symptoms. For many people, this ideal combination includes nutritional changes, exercise, meditation, and/or medications.
Experts know, from years of research and many studies, that medications are effective. They improve the core symptoms of ADHD — impulsivity, hyperarousal, and distractibility.
But how do you know which medication is right for you? Start by watching this video.
Stimulants vs. Nonstimulants: Understanding ADHD Medications
ADHD medications generally belong to one of two broad classes: stimulant or nonstimulant.
Stimulants include brand names like Adderall, Vyvanse, Ritalin, Concerta, Jornay PM and Adhansia XR. Non-stimulants include Strattera and Intuniv, among others. So what are the important differences?
1. Stimulants
The stimulant class of medication is typically prescribed first because it works for 70-80% of children with ADHD.
Stimulants increase dopamine and norepinephrine levels between the brain’s synapses. They work as soon as they cross the blood-brain barrier, which takes 45 to 60 minutes. The result? Reduced hyperactivity, distractibility, and/or impulsivity.
The FDA has approved 29 stimulant medications. All of them use one of only two molecules: methylphenidate or amphetamine.
The best choice hinges on an individual’s biochemistry. Even family members may experience different results with the same medication.
2. Nonstimulants
For 20-30% of people with ADHD, stimulants do not work. They move on to try one of these FDA-approved nonstimulants:
- Atomoxetine
- Clonidine
- Guanfacine
- Qelbree
It often takes five to seven days to assess the full benefits of a nonstimulant medication.
Sustained focus, improved mood, greater attention to detail, better memory, better sleep, and reduced impulsivity are all signs the treatment is working.
How do you choose the best option?
“Just as nothing predicts in advance which molecule will be best for a given child, it turns out that nothing predicts the dose of medication either: not body mass, height, gender, ethnicity, or the severity of symptoms,” says ADHD specialist William Dodson, M.D. The answer: experimentation and patience.
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Stimulant vs. Non-Stimulant ADHD Medication
When it comes to ADHD medication, you may already know that there are two main types — stimulants and non-stimulants.
But you may not be aware of key differences between them.
Not all kids respond equally well to both, and it’s not uncommon for kids to switch from one to the other. What makes these types of medications so different?
For one thing, stimulants have been around for much longer. They’ve been used to treat ADHD (also known as ADD) since the 1960s and are the most effective type of medication for most kids. They’re also the most widely prescribed. There are many brands in this category, including Ritalin, Focalin, and Adderall.
Non-stimulants are a newer option. One of the most common, atomoxetine, has been used to treat ADHD since 2002. (This drug is widely known by its brand name, Strattera). Less commonly used are drugs called alpha-2 adrenergics, which at much higher doses are used to treat high blood pressure.
This chart allows you to closely compare stimulants and non-stimulants. You can use it to discuss medication options with your child’s doctor.
| Stimulants | Non-stimulants: Atomoxetine (Strattera) and alpha-2 adrenergics | |
|---|---|---|
| How they work | Mainly target receptors of the brain chemical dopamine. Very effective at improving attention and reducing hyperactivity and impulsivity. | Atomoxetine (Strattera): Targets the brain chemical norepinephrine. Can improve attention and reduce impulsivity and hyperactivity. Alpha-2 adrenergics: How they work in the brain to help with ADHD is not clear. But they reduce hyperactivity and impulsivity. They may also improve attention. |
| How quickly they start and stop working | Fast acting. A child will feel effects within 30 to 90 minutes of the first dose, depending on the drug and individual sensitivity. These drugs — and their effects — leave the system within three to 12 hours, depending on whether they’re short-acting or long-acting. | Atomoxetine (Strattera): Takes two to four weeks for the drug to have full effect. Kids can be tapered off quickly, usually within a few days. Alpha-2 adrenergics: Takes two weeks to know if the drug is effective. |
| Dosing frequency | Extended-release pills last six to 12 hours — enough to cover the school day. | Atomoxetine (Strattera): Once, sometimes twice, a day Alpha-2 adrenergics: From one to three times a day |
| Common side effects | Loss of appetite, trouble sleeping (Uncommon side effects include increased anxiety, agitation, headaches, tics, psychosis.) | Atomoxetine (Strattera): Moodiness (Uncommon side effects include nausea, loss of appetite, sluggishness.) Alpha-2 adrenergics: Sleepiness, fatigue (Uncommon side effects include loss of appetite, drop in blood pressure, nausea.) |
| Risks | Could cause weight loss and possibly impact height. (Weight and height should be monitored. Use with caution in kids with pre-existing heart conditions because these drugs can, in rare instances, cause complications. A cardiologist should approve the child taking it. | Atomoxetine (Strattera): Very rare incidence of liver complications. Alpha-2 adrenergics: May cause dizziness and fainting if it greatly impacts blood pressure. |
| Effectiveness | Improves attention and reduces impulsivity and hyperactivity in 70 to 80 percent of patients. | Atomoxetine (Strattera): Improves attention and reduces impulsivity and hyperactivity in about 50 percent of patients. Alpha-2 adrenergics: Reduces impulsivity and hyperactivity in 60 percent of patients. |
| When doctors might prescribe these drugs | Generally, this is the first line of drug treatment for children with ADHD and ADD. | Atomoxetine (Strattera): May be prescribed if a child can’t tolerate the side effects of stimulants. Alpha-2 adrenergics: Most often used in addition to stimulants to help kids with severe symptoms. |
Kids on high doses over a long term may need to be tapered off slowly to avoid side effects when the drug is discontinued.
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May also be an alternative for teens and young adults who might benefit from 24-hour coverage.To better understand how ADHD medication works, learn more about how ADHD affects the brain. Use our ADHD medication log to help find the dosage that works best for your child. And know the signs that your child’s ADHD medication might need fine-tuning.
Understood is not affiliated with any pharmaceutical company.
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About the author
About the author
Peg Rosen writes for digital and print, including
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Nelson Dorta, PhD is a pediatric neuropsychologist and an assistant professor of medical psychology in child psychiatry at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University.
Incentive part of salary.
We accrue with benefit and knowledge of the matter Listeners of webinars Kontur.Schools often ask questions about the calculation and registration of the incentive part of wages (bonuses, allowances, etc.). The article contains answers to common questions.
Regulation on employee bonuses
Question: we have additional offices, not structural divisions. They do not have a separate checking account. Is it possible to separately prescribe a bonus provision for them? nine0003
Reply. Yes, you can.
Question: Is it legal to indicate in the bonus regulation a reduction in the amount of the monthly bonus? Doesn't this worsen the position of the worker? The amount of the bonus is not specified in the employment contract.
Answer. The current legislation does not provide for the term "deprivation of bonus". In order to deprive an employee of a bonus, it is necessary to have clear bonus indicators in the developed remuneration system, with which the employee is familiar.
If an employee clearly knows for what indicators he is paid a bonus, under what conditions, then if these indicators are not met, he has nothing to pay a bonus for. Therefore, pay attention to the fact that the provision on bonuses contains information about the circle of persons to be awarded, sources, indicators, conditions, sizes, periods, terms of bonuses, as well as the procedure for calculating and paying bonuses. Pay special attention to bonus indicators, they should be clear and comprehensive. Employees should be made aware of the situation. nine0003
Webinars for accountants at Kontur.School: changes in legislation, features of accounting and tax accounting, reporting, salary and personnel, cash transactions.
Skills allowance
Question: Who determines the level of professional skills of an employee and how?
Answer: professional skills are determined by local regulations, which are approved by the head of the organization.
The most important thing is that it does not contradict the current legislation. For example, you can refer to several documents. nine0003
According to paragraph 17 of the Order of the Ministry of Regional Development of the Russian Federation dated October 23, 2008 No. 230 “On the introduction of a new system of remuneration for employees of federal budgetary institutions of the Ministry of Regional Development of the Russian Federation”, the regulation on payment and stimulation of the work of employees of an institution may provide for the establishment of employees of working professions of an incentive bonus to official salary for professional excellence.
The amount of the specified allowance can be determined both in absolute terms and as a percentage of the salary. The bonus for professional skills is set for a period of not more than 1 year, after which it can be retained or canceled. The amount of this allowance is not limited. nine0003
Additional payment to employees for harmful working conditions
Question: an employee is paid monthly additional payment for harmful working conditions.
Do I need to make an additional payment when calculating vacation pay?
Answer: Probably, we are talking about whether this payment should be included in the average salary? Yes, this payment is included in the average earnings for calculating vacation pay, in accordance with clause 2 of Government Decree No. 922 dated December 24, 2007. It says that to calculate the average earnings, all types of payments provided for by the remuneration system applied by the relevant employer, regardless of sources these payments. Such payments also include payments related to working conditions, including increased wages for work with harmful and (or) dangerous working conditions. nine0003
Award for conscientious work. Anniversary bonus
Question: the company accrues a bonus to workers for conscientious performance of labor duties. The chief accountant excluded her from the calculation of average earnings. Is it correct?
Answer: It is not clear from the question how this type of bonus is reflected in the bonus system established in the organization.
But I want to pay attention to the following:
- First, let's pay attention to the wording. This wording “for the conscientious performance of labor duties” can be understood as follows: if the employee performs the work conscientiously, then he will be paid a bonus. That is, work can also be done in bad faith: the employee will simply be paid, for example, a salary. In my opinion, the situation is absurd. I also draw your attention to the fact that the regulatory authorities may regard this wording as an opportunity to evade payment of wages in full. nine0060
Settlements with personnel for wages
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flawless performance by the employee of labor duties assigned to him by the employment contract, job description and collective agreement ... ". It is also necessary to indicate what is meant by high performance indicators. nine0003
- Second, the calculation of average earnings, for example, when determining vacation pay, includes all types of payments provided for by the remuneration system applied by the relevant employer, regardless of the sources of these payments.
The list of payments included in the calculation is specified in clause 2 of Government Decree No. 922 dated December 24, 2007.
Question: Anniversary bonuses have a limit?
Answer. The amount of the bonus by the anniversary date is set by the organization independently. The amount will depend on the financial situation of a particular organization. nine0003
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Basic concepts, definitions and legal framework (OT)
human existence for himself and his family, and not below the minimum wage established by federal law. nine0003
The Convention for the Protection of Wages, concluded at Geneva in July 1949 and ratified by the USSR in January 1961, defines the following meaning of “wages”:
The term wages remuneration or earnings, which may be calculated in money and established by agreement or national law, which the employer must pay by virtue of a written or oral contract of employment to a worker for work which is either performed or to be performed, or for services which are either rendered or should be provided.
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Salary - remuneration for work depending on the qualifications of the employee, the complexity, quantity, quality and conditions of the work performed, as well as compensation payments (additional payments and allowances of a compensatory nature, including for work in conditions that deviate from normal , work in special climatic conditions and in territories exposed to radioactive contamination, and other compensation payments) and incentive payments (additional payments and allowances of a stimulating nature, bonuses and other incentive payments). nine0003
Tariff rate - a fixed amount of remuneration of an employee for fulfilling a labor norm of a certain complexity (qualification) per unit of time, excluding compensation, incentives and social payments.
Base salary (base official salary) is the minimum salary of an employee of a state or municipal institution engaged in professional activities in the profession of a worker or an employee's position that is part of the relevant professional qualification group, excluding compensation, incentives and social payments.
