Ritalin Essay
While the free essays can give you inspiration for writing, they cannot be used 'as is' because they will not meet your assignment's requirements. If you are in a time crunch, then you need a custom written term paper on your subject (ritalin)
Here you can hire an independent writer/researcher to custom write you an authentic essay to your specifications that will pass any plagiarism test (e.g. Turnitin). Waste no more time!
Ritalin
The Babysitter of the 90's
07/03/2000
Prepared for Nursing 2116
by Tracey Hardin
Ritalin (Methylphenidate) is a mild CNS stimulant. In medicine, Ritalin's primary use is
treatment of Attention Deficit /Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). The mode of action in humans is
not completely understood, but Ritalin presumably activates the arousal system of the brain
stem and the cortex to produce its stimulant effect. Recently, the frequency of diagnosis for
ADHD has increased dramatically. More children and an increasing number of adults are being
diagnosed with ADHD. According to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) (Bailey 1995),
prescriptions for Ritalin have increased more than 600% in the past five years. Ritalin has a
long history of controversy regarding side effects and potential for abuse, however it greatly
benefits those with ADHD.
Ritalin (Methylphenidate) is manufactured by CIBA-Geigy Corporation. It is supplied in 5
mg., 10 mg., and 20 mg. tablets, and in a sustained release form, Ritalin SR, in 20 mg. tablets.
It is readily water soluble and is intended for oral use. It is a Schedule II Controlled Substance
under both the Federal and Vermont Controlled Substance Acts. Ritalin is primarily used in the
treatment of Attention Deficit/Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) (Bailey 1995).
ADHD is a condition most likely based in an inefficiency and inadequacy of Dopamine
and Norepinephrine hormone availability, typically occurring when a person with ADHD tries to
concentrate. Ritalin improves the efficiency of the hormones Dopamine and Norepinephrine,
increasing the resources for memory, focus, concentration and attention (Clark 1996). Ritalin
has been used for more than 30 years to treat ADHD. Nervousness and insomnia are the most
common adverse reactions reported, but are usually controlled by reducing dosage or omitting
the afternoon or evening dose. Decreased appetite is also common but usually transient (Long
1996). According to Clark (1996), children, adolescents and adults diagnosed with ADHD
usually report the following effects when successfully treated with Ritalin:
•Improved concentration
•Better "focus"
•Improved ability to complete their work
•Improved intensity of attention and longer attention span
•Reduced distractibility
•Reduced impulsivity
•Reduced restlessness and overactivity
•Improved patience
•More elaborate expressive vocabulary
•Better written expression and handwriting (especially in children)
•An improved sense of "alertness"
•Improved memory for visual as well as auditory stimuli
Ritalin exhibits pharmacological activity similar to that of amphetamines. Ritalin's exact
mechanism of action in the CNS is not fully understood, but the primary sites of activity appear
to be in the cerebral cortex and the subcortical structures including the thalamus. Ritalin blocks
the reuptake mechanism present in dopaminergic neurons. As a result, sympathomimetic
activity in the central nervous system and in the peripheral nervous system increases.
Ritalin-induced CNS stimulation produces a decreased sense of fatigue, an increase in motor
activity and mental alertness, mild euphoria, and brighter spirits. In the PNS, the actions of
Ritalin are minimal at therapeutic doses (Clinical Pharmacology Online 1997).
Ritalin is the quickest of all oral ADHD stimulant medications in onset of action: it starts
to achieve benefit in 20 - 30 minutes after administration, and is most effective during the
upward ‘slope' and peak serum levels. Ritalin's effect is brief: Most people experience 2-3
hours of benefit, but after 3 hours, benefits drop off rapidly. Some individuals, especially
children, may obtain 4 or even 5 hours of positive effect (Clark 1996).
Recently, there has been a dramatic upsurge of interest in using stimulants (mainly
Ritalin) for children and adults for the increasingly popular diagnosis of ADHD. According to
Persky (1996), the high frequency of the diagnosis of ADHD is a uniquely American
phenomenon. Children and adults are now under greater pressure to perform and to do well
academically or in the workplace. The chilling message in school and at work is "Perform or
Else." Because of this high intensity atmosphere, the use of Ritalin has become attractive. This
has resulted in an acute "epidemic" of ADHD and the treatment of choice is Ritalin (Persky
1996). For example, after education reforms spearheaded by Ross Perot in Texas in 1984,
Ritalin use in the state doubled. One Texas mother says she is being hounded by teachers to
put her two boys on Ritalin against their psychologist's advice. Another mother says she had to
ask a school board member to intervene when teachers at her child's school also pressed for
Ritalin use("Critics say Ritalin," Houston Chronicle, May 1996). Ritalin is an effective treatment
for people with ADHD. Because it allows them to filter out distractions...
MLA Style
. EssayMania.com. Retrieved on 25 May, 2012 from
<http://essaymania.com/64242/ritalin>
More College Papers
Mental Health And Depression essay
Human nutrition is the study of how food affects the health and survival of the human body. Human beings require food to grow, reproduce, and maintain good health. Without the food our bodies could not stay warm, build or repair tissues, and maintain a good heartbeat. Eating the right foods could he
Marijuana essay
I think that the presidant should legalize the use of marijuana.
If they are going to let some people smoke it and not others then
that is biass and i do not appricate it very much. I am not a smoker
of marijuana but i have many friends who do smoke it and they all do
better in school then i d
Medical Ethics essay
Medical Ethics
“ Bioethics comprise every possible aspect of health care, medical, moral, social, political, religious, legal and financial” (Weiss 3). This includes the questions raised by new research. It takes a look at the results of that research that is used on patients. It takes into conside