Medication	Formulation	Duration of action	Starting and maximum dosage	Estimated cost of starting dosage*
Short acting
Dexmethylphenidate (Focalin)	2.5 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg	4 to 5 hours	Starting: 2.5 mg two times per day Maximum: 20 mg per day	$10 ($50)
Dextroamphetamine/amphetamine (Adderall)	5 mg, 7.5 mg, 10 mg, 12.5 mg, 15 mg, 20 mg, 30 mg	5 to 7 hours	Starting: 5 mg one to two times per day Maximum: 40 mg per day	$15 ($230)
Dextroamphetamine (Zenzedi)	Tablet: 2.5 mg (Zenzedi), 5 mg Solution: 5 mg per 5 mL	4 to 6 hours	Starting: 5 mg one to two times per day Maximum: 40 mg per day	Tablet: $30 (5 mg); ($430 [2.5 mg]) Solution: $140 (NA)
Methylphenidate (Ritalin, Methylin)	Chewable tablet: 5 mg	3 to 6 hours	Starting: 5 mg two times per day	Chewable tablet: $70 (NA)
	Tablet: 5 mg, 10 mg, or 20 mg Solution: 5 mg or 10 mg per 5 mL		Maximum: 60 mg per day Consider starting dosage of 2.5 mg two times per day in preschool children	Tablet: $15 ($50; NA) Solution: $40 (NA; $50)
Intermediate acting
Dextroamphetamine ER (Dexedrine Spansule)	5 mg, 10 mg, 15 mg	6 to 10 hours	Starting: 5 mg one to two times per day Maximum: 60 mg per day	$30 ($700)
Methylphenidate SR (Metadate ER)	Tablet: 10 mg, 20 mg	3 to 8 hours	Starting: 10 or 20 mg per day Maximum: 60 mg per day	Tablet: $40 ($105, Metadate ER 20-mg tablet)
Long-acting
Amphetamine (Adzenys XR, Dyanavel XR)	Orally dissolving tablet: 6.3 mg Suspension: 2.5 mg per mL	Orally dissolving tablet: 12 hours Suspension: 13 hours	Adzenys: Starting: 6.3 mg per day Maximum: 18.8 mg per day < 13 years, 12.5 mg per day ≥ 13 years	Orally dissolving tablet: NA ($400 [Adzenys XR])
			Dyanavel: Starting: 2.5 or 5 mg per day Maximum: 20 mg per day	Suspension: NA ($200 [Dynavel XR])
Dexmethylphenidate (Focalin XR)	5 mg	8 to 12 hours	Starting: 5 mg per day Maximum: 30 mg per day	$60 ($380)
Dextroamphetamine/amphetamine (generic, Adderall XR, Mydayis)	Generic and Adderall XR: 5 mg, 10 mg Mydayis: 12.5 mg, 25 mg	10 to 12 hours 16 hours	Adderall XR: Starting: 5 to 10 mg per day Maximum: 30 mg per day	$40 ($220)
			Mydayis: Starting: 12.5 mg per day ≥ 13 years Maximum: 25 mg per day	NA ($300)
Lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse)	Chewable tablet or capsule: 30 mg	10 hours	Starting: 30 mg per day Maximum: 70 mg per day	Chewable tablet: NA ($325) Capsule: NA ($325)
Methylphenidate			Once-a-day dosing for long-acting forms:
Capsule: generic or Ritalin LA	10 mg, 20 mg	7 to 9 hours	Starting: 10 or 20 mg per day Maximum: 60 mg per day	$85 ($300)
Tablet: Concerta	18 mg	8 to 12 hours	Starting: 18 mg per day Maximum: 72 mg per day	$50 ($360)
Chewable tablet: Quillichew ER	20 mg to 40 mg	13 hours	Starting: 20 mg per day Maximum: 60 mg per day	NA ($330)
Orally dissolving tablet: Cotempla XR	17.3 mg	12 hours	Starting: 17.3 mg per day Maximum: 51.8 mg per day	NA ($420)
Suspension: Quillivant XR	5 mg per mL	12 hours	Starting: 20 mg per day Maximum: 60 mg per day	NA ($290)
Transdermal patch: Daytrana	10 mg	10 to 12 hours	Starting: 10 mg per day Maximum: 30 mg per day	NA ($395)
Adverse effects and precautions
Common: abdominal pain; anxiousness; decreased appetite; headache; increase in blood pressure (1 to 4 mm Hg systolic and diastolic); increase in heart rate (1 to 2 beats per minute); irritability; mood lability (preschool); reduction in height (1- to 2-cm from predicted adult height); sleep problems
Rare/serious: depression, hallucinations, psychoses, suicidal thoughts
Consider electrocardiography or cardiology referral before initiating stimulants if: history of heart condition; palpitations; syncope; seizures; or a family history including: sudden cardiac death, Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and long QT syndrome 2,39