Navigating the complexities of ADHD treatment just got a little easier for clinicians, with the release of new evidence-based prescribing guidelines.
Launched by the Australian ADHD Professionals Association (AADPA), this is the first of its kind ADHD Prescribing Guidelines for Australian Health Care Professionals is a living document. It will be updated as necessary to reflect the latest evidence and best practice in the field of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
AADPA board chair and lead author Professor David Coghill hopes it will have a major impact on prescribers.
“We know there is a lot of variation in how ADHD medication is used, not just in Australia, but around the world.” he said. Insight+.
He said: “It was very difficult for people to go anywhere to get good, high-quality and detailed information about medicines without going through a whole series of different publications, which Which we know is always difficult for doctors.”
Co-lead author and pharmacist Kate Tognarini explained that the guide comes from behind the launch. Australian evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for ADHDwhich was released in October 2022.
“We felt that a more specific guideline was needed to bridge the gap between the guideline’s high-level recommendations and the practical needs of providers or other healthcare professionals.
“We wanted this guide to be a useful reference, providing well-researched information and knowledge from experienced physicians to guide safe and optimal prescribing practices,” she explained. she explained.
Two parts of the guide
“The first part is what we call the patient journey, because that’s really what follows. So, it looks at the information that’s related to each prescription that treats ADHD, but from the assessment to the general Also to the patient journey, from diagnosis to tapering of medication and then continuing care,” explained Professor Kogel.
This is a step-by-step guide that contains detailed information about various medications and how to use them.
“The second section is called Frequently Asked Questions … It focuses on more specific groups of people with ADHD, especially people with various co-existing conditions. But in women across the lifespan Also looking more deeply into the treatment of ADHD, and it’s a very focused idea that we hope people who work with this special population will be able to dive into when needed.
According to Ms. Tognarini, this is the only guide that offers suggestions for such questions.
“It contains a lot of important information about a variety of topics and questions that clinicians and people with ADHD, or those who care for them, have. This is because well-researched answers are easy to find,” she explained.
The guide also includes “practice tips” from experienced doctors and contains “recommendations from life experience”.
“We wanted the guide to be realistic and considerate of the lived experience of people with ADHD and they were represented in the authorship (myself included). These perspectives also help bridge the gap between expectations and actual experiences. ,” Ms. Tognarini continued.
Development of ADHD diagnosis
According to the AADPA, around 6-8% of children and 3-5% of adults in Australia have ADHD, which is around 1 million Australians.
Some say it seems more people are being diagnosed with ADHD than ever before. However, according to Professor Kugel, this is not true.
“All the evidence we have says that ADHD is not becoming more common. So epidemiologically, in society, there are more people with ADHD now than there were 10 years ago. But because awareness has increased, the health Both awareness in the profession, but obviously awareness in society, so people are now stepping forward and asking, ‘Are some of my problems related to ADHD?'” he explained.
“What we encourage health care professionals to say is: ‘Is this ADHD?’, but: ‘Does ADHD contribute to this clinical presentation that I’m being brought to?’. This is not something that people in the past Requested regularly,” he said.
Despite the increased awareness of ADHD, Ms Tognarini said there are still misunderstandings, particularly when it comes to medication.
“Primarily the stimulants, which are used successfully to manage ADHD, are dangerous, highly addictive or unsafe in the long term.
“There are many studies on the safety of stimulants, which are very effective in managing the main symptoms of ADHD and make a big difference in people with ADHD. People with ADHD still experience some stigma, Which is unfortunate,” she continued.
Other ADHD management options
Although the guideline is primarily about ADHD medication, the authors want to emphasize that treating ADHD is not just about medication.
“There are at least two other aspects. One is…psychoeducation. Educating people about their ADHD, about the causes, about the correlates of ADHD…as well as getting them to know the evidence base of treatment.” and helping to understand.
“We know that ADHD treatment must always be multifaceted, and that there are many other supportive and supportive treatments available. Things like helping parents of young children with ADHD, with ADHD and ADHD coaches for older teens and adults. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
“They’re not as effective in reducing the actual symptoms of ADHD, but they’re really important in giving people strategies and ways to manage the consequences of ADHD.”
of the ADHD Prescribing Guidelines for Australian Health Care Professionals Available for purchase from the AADPA website in print and e-book formats.
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