| Summary: | According to the most recent National Institutes of Health Consensus Statement (1998), "attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is the most commonly diagnosed childhood behavioral disorder." A wide range of drugs are available to treat ADHD, with stimulant medications being the historically the treatment of choice. There are now many stimulants and multiple formulations of individual stimulants, on the market. Additionally, there are non-stimulant medications that are used to treat ADHD, including atomoxetine, atypical antipsychotics, bupropion, clonidine, and guanfacine. The purpose of this review is to evaluate the comparative evidence of benefits and harms of medications used to treat ADHD, with specific emphasis on evaluating the newer long-acting stimulant formulations and the nonstimulant medication atomoxetine relative to each other and the older immediate release stimulant medications. The review includes both children and adults
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