Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow Clonidine WorksPros and ConsForms and DosageSide EffectsPrecautions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
How Clonidine Works
Pros and Cons
Forms and Dosage
Side Effects
Precautions
Close
Catapres (clonidine) is a medication that was initially approved to treat high blood pressure. However, because of its calming effects, clonidine is often prescribed to people withattention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It can help with symptoms such as hyperactivity, impulsivity, aggression, overarousal, and sleep difficulties.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Kapvay, the extended-release version of clonidine, as a medication for children with ADHD ages six and up. It can be taken alone or along with stimulant medication.
What is the most important information I should know about clonidine?Use caution if you have a history of low blood pressure.Do not stop taking clonidine suddenly; this can lead to rebound effects that increase blood pressure. Instead, work with your doctor to taper your dose.
What is the most important information I should know about clonidine?
Use caution if you have a history of low blood pressure.Do not stop taking clonidine suddenly; this can lead to rebound effects that increase blood pressure. Instead, work with your doctor to taper your dose.
Clonidine prompts your brain to send signals to your blood vessels to relax them, lowering blood pressure. Its exact mechanisms in treating ADHD are not fully understood.
A 2016 study found that clonidine affects receptors in the prefrontal cortex associated with behaviors such as impulsivity, hyperactivity, and inattentiveness.The prefrontal cortex governsexecutive functionssuch as planning, organizing, and using information and experiences. These effects promote physical calmness and mental focus.
Stimulant vs. Non-Stimulant ADHD Medications
ADHD medications are generally categorized as either stimulants or non-stimulants. Clonidine, which is part of the class of drugs known as centrally acting alpha-agonist hypotensive agents, is considered a non-stimulant treatment for ADHD.
Non-stimulant medications are usually prescribed if a person with ADHD can’t tolerate stimulant medication because of severe side effects. Some health conditions also prevent using stimulants, such as certain psychiatric disorders, sleep disorders, cardiovascular disease, or a history of stimulant misuse.
Strattera (atomoxetine), the antidepressant medication Wellbutrin (bupropion), and Qelbree (viloxazine) are examples of other non-stimulant medications.The antihypertensive drugIntuniv (guanfacine)is another.
ADD Medication for Adults
Pros and Cons of Clonidine for ADHD
BenefitsCan boost effect of stimulantsNo appetite effectEffective for kidsReduces anxietyHelps with sleep difficultiesNot addictiveReduces blood pressureCan treat tic disordersDrawbacksDoesn’t help all ADHD presentationsLittle research on adultsLess effective than stimulantsMay cause brain fogMay cause drowsinessMay cause erectile dysfunction
BenefitsCan boost effect of stimulantsNo appetite effectEffective for kidsReduces anxietyHelps with sleep difficultiesNot addictiveReduces blood pressureCan treat tic disorders
Can boost effect of stimulants
No appetite effect
Effective for kids
Reduces anxiety
Helps with sleep difficulties
Not addictive
Reduces blood pressure
Can treat tic disorders
DrawbacksDoesn’t help all ADHD presentationsLittle research on adultsLess effective than stimulantsMay cause brain fogMay cause drowsinessMay cause erectile dysfunction
Doesn’t help all ADHD presentations
Little research on adults
Less effective than stimulants
May cause brain fog
May cause drowsiness
May cause erectile dysfunction
Pros
Clonidine offers these benefits, especially for children:
Cons
Clonidine is not suitable for everyone. It has some disadvantages that you should know about if you are considering taking clonidine.
When clonidine is first prescribed, it’s usually at the lowest dose. This may be 0.05 to 0.1 milligrams (mg) to start. Your doctor gradually increases the dose until the effective (therapeutic) dose is found. Catapres tablets come in 0.1mg, 0.2mg, and 0.3mg.Kapvay is the extended-release version, and it’s available in 0.1mg.
Clonidine is also available in patches, which last seven days.They’re a good option if you tend to forget to take medication, or you don’t like swallowing tablets.
Once the therapeutic dose has been found using tablets, using a clonidine patch is an option. It may take a few weeks to see the full effects of clonidine on ADHD symptoms, but you may see some improvement sooner.
Side Effects of Clonidine
These side effects often go away after you’ve taken the medication for a while, but if they don’t or they’re bothersome, talk to your doctor:
Rare But Serious Side Effects
If you experience these or any other unusual or persistent side effects, contact your doctor as soon as possible:
Precautions When Taking Clonidine
If you have a history of low blood pressure, you may be more likely to feel dizzy, lightheaded, and nauseous while taking clonidine.
Many people forget to take their medication. If you miss a dose of clonidine, don’t take a double dose as it could lower your blood pressure too much.
It’s important that you don’t stop taking clonidine abruptly, as this may cause rebound high blood pressure. Instead, your dose should be decreased gradually. Your doctor can give you advice on the best tapering schedule.
How Is ADHD Treated in Adults?
10 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Naguy A.Clonidine use in psychiatry: panacea or panache?Pharmacology. 2016;98(1-2):87-92. doi:10.1159/000446441Food and Drug Administration (FDA).Qelbree highlights of prescribing information.Luan R, Mu Z, Yue F, He S.Efficacy and tolerability of different interventions in children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.Front Psychiatry. 2017;8:229. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2017.00229Ming X, Mulvey M, Mohanty S, Patel V.Safety and efficacy of clonidine and clonidine extended-release in the treatment of children and adolescents with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders.Adolesc Health Med Ther. 2011;2:105-112. doi:10.2147/AHMT.S15672Mattes JA.Treating ADHD in prison: Focus on alpha-2 agonists (clonidine and guanfacine).J Am Acad Psychiatry Law. 2016;44(2):151-157.Food and Drug Administration (FDA).Catapres (clonidine hydrochloride) tablets.Food and Drug Administration (FDA).Kapvay (clonidine hydrochloride) extended-release tablets.Food and Drug Administration (FDA).Catapres-TTS (clonidine) transdermal therapeutic system.Froehlich TE, Delgado SV, Anixt JS.Expanding medication options for pediatric ADHD.Curr Psychiatr.2013;12(12):20-29.MedlinePlus.Clonidine.
10 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Naguy A.Clonidine use in psychiatry: panacea or panache?Pharmacology. 2016;98(1-2):87-92. doi:10.1159/000446441Food and Drug Administration (FDA).Qelbree highlights of prescribing information.Luan R, Mu Z, Yue F, He S.Efficacy and tolerability of different interventions in children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.Front Psychiatry. 2017;8:229. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2017.00229Ming X, Mulvey M, Mohanty S, Patel V.Safety and efficacy of clonidine and clonidine extended-release in the treatment of children and adolescents with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders.Adolesc Health Med Ther. 2011;2:105-112. doi:10.2147/AHMT.S15672Mattes JA.Treating ADHD in prison: Focus on alpha-2 agonists (clonidine and guanfacine).J Am Acad Psychiatry Law. 2016;44(2):151-157.Food and Drug Administration (FDA).Catapres (clonidine hydrochloride) tablets.Food and Drug Administration (FDA).Kapvay (clonidine hydrochloride) extended-release tablets.Food and Drug Administration (FDA).Catapres-TTS (clonidine) transdermal therapeutic system.Froehlich TE, Delgado SV, Anixt JS.Expanding medication options for pediatric ADHD.Curr Psychiatr.2013;12(12):20-29.MedlinePlus.Clonidine.
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Naguy A.Clonidine use in psychiatry: panacea or panache?Pharmacology. 2016;98(1-2):87-92. doi:10.1159/000446441Food and Drug Administration (FDA).Qelbree highlights of prescribing information.Luan R, Mu Z, Yue F, He S.Efficacy and tolerability of different interventions in children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.Front Psychiatry. 2017;8:229. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2017.00229Ming X, Mulvey M, Mohanty S, Patel V.Safety and efficacy of clonidine and clonidine extended-release in the treatment of children and adolescents with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders.Adolesc Health Med Ther. 2011;2:105-112. doi:10.2147/AHMT.S15672Mattes JA.Treating ADHD in prison: Focus on alpha-2 agonists (clonidine and guanfacine).J Am Acad Psychiatry Law. 2016;44(2):151-157.Food and Drug Administration (FDA).Catapres (clonidine hydrochloride) tablets.Food and Drug Administration (FDA).Kapvay (clonidine hydrochloride) extended-release tablets.Food and Drug Administration (FDA).Catapres-TTS (clonidine) transdermal therapeutic system.Froehlich TE, Delgado SV, Anixt JS.Expanding medication options for pediatric ADHD.Curr Psychiatr.2013;12(12):20-29.MedlinePlus.Clonidine.
Naguy A.Clonidine use in psychiatry: panacea or panache?Pharmacology. 2016;98(1-2):87-92. doi:10.1159/000446441
Food and Drug Administration (FDA).Qelbree highlights of prescribing information.
Luan R, Mu Z, Yue F, He S.Efficacy and tolerability of different interventions in children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.Front Psychiatry. 2017;8:229. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2017.00229
Ming X, Mulvey M, Mohanty S, Patel V.Safety and efficacy of clonidine and clonidine extended-release in the treatment of children and adolescents with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders.Adolesc Health Med Ther. 2011;2:105-112. doi:10.2147/AHMT.S15672
Mattes JA.Treating ADHD in prison: Focus on alpha-2 agonists (clonidine and guanfacine).J Am Acad Psychiatry Law. 2016;44(2):151-157.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA).Catapres (clonidine hydrochloride) tablets.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA).Kapvay (clonidine hydrochloride) extended-release tablets.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA).Catapres-TTS (clonidine) transdermal therapeutic system.
Froehlich TE, Delgado SV, Anixt JS.Expanding medication options for pediatric ADHD.Curr Psychiatr.2013;12(12):20-29.
MedlinePlus.Clonidine.
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