Vyvanse is a potent prescription medication that’s most often used to treat adults and adolescents who are struggling with both moderate to severe versions of the combined and selective attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). If you take vyvanse, you may be wondering if it has any vasoconstrictors in it. After all, some people don’t like the idea of taking a drug that could potentially have a negative impact on their blood pressure or heart rate.
A vasoconstrictor is an agent that causes vasoconstriction, which is usually the narrowing of small blood vessels. In other words, this is anything that makes your blood vessels narrower or smaller by contracting them. As you can probably imagine, this type of effect can be really beneficial in some circumstances.
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What are some common vasoconstrictors?
There are a number of substances that are often used as vasoconstrictors in both prescription medications and over-the-counter drugs. That said, there are a few that are used most often.
These include:
- Caffeine: This is a common ingredient in many over-the-counter drugs, including popular headache medications. It’s also one of the most widely consumed drugs in the world, so it probably comes as no surprise that it’s a common vasoconstrictor.
- Ephedrine: There’s a reason this is a main ingredient in over-the-counter asthma medications. It’s a powerful vasoconstrictor, which can be helpful in this situation.
- Phenylephrine: This is an ingredient in many common over-the-counter cold and allergy medications.
- Epinephrine: This is an extremely potent vasoconstrictor. It’s the active ingredient in things like EpiPen auto-injectors, but it’s also prescribed as a drug for people with life-threatening allergies.
- Curare: This is a naturally occurring substance found in many types of South American plants, though it’s also used in some medical procedures.
Vyvanse is a selective-serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)
As you may already know, a serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) is a type of antidepressant. It works by blocking the reuptake of serotonin, which is an important mood-regulating neurotransmitter in the brain. Vyvanse is a prescription medication that has been approved for treating the symptoms of both adult and pediatric ADHD. It is a controlled substance due to its potential for abuse, so it must be taken under the supervision of a medical professional.
Vyvanse is a mixed serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI). This means that it inhibits the reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine.
That said, it’s important to note that Vyvanse does not have any vasoconstrictors in it. This is because vasoconstrictors are agents that contract blood vessels, while Vyvanse works by blocking the reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine.
Does Vyvanse have Vasoconstrictors?
As we’ve already discussed, Vyvanse is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). This means that it blocks the reuptake of serotonin. To clarify, serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is involved in regulating mood, sleep, and many other aspects of our health. This means that it has two main functions: it is used as a signalling molecule, and it is also stored in small amounts within the cells of our body.
Vyvanse does not have any vasoconstrictors in it. This is because vasoconstrictors are agents that contract blood vessels, while Vyvanse works by blocking the reuptake of serotonin.
Vyvanse and Tolerance
We’ve discussed that vyvanse is a potent prescription medication that’s most often used to treat adults and adolescents who are struggling with both moderate to severe versions of the combined and selective attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Vyvanse is a controlled substance due to its potential for abuse, and because it is a controlled substance, it is important that you take it exactly as prescribed by your doctor. If you don’t, you could build up a tolerance to the drug, meaning that you need to take more and more of it just to see the same type of benefits that you would with a lower dosage.
If you find that you’re starting to build up a tolerance to the effects of vyvanse, you should talk to your doctor about it. He or she will be able to suggest some ways for you to avoid building up a tolerance in the future.
Adderall and Vasoconstrictors
If you are taking the drug adderall as part of your treatment for ADHD, you might be wondering if it contains any vasoconstrictors. There is some debate about this, but according to the Food and Drug Administration, there are a couple of different ingredients in the formula that could potentially act as vasoconstrictors.
Specifically, the FDA mentions that there are two amphetamine salts in each 20-mg dose of adderall: dextroamphetamine sulfate and dextroamphetamine saccharide. These are vasoconstrictors that are used to treat narcolepsy and many types of attention deficit disorders.
Advantages of Vasoconstrictors in ADHD Medications
As with any medication, there are both advantages and disadvantages to using vasoconstrictors in ADHD medications. There are quite a few different types of ADHD medications that contain vasoconstrictors, including adderall, vyvanse, and dexedrine among others. This is because these substances help to increase blood flow and improve attention spans.
Disadvantages of Vasoconstrictors in ADHD Medications
There are also potential downsides to using ADHD medications that contain vasoconstrictors. As we’ve already discussed, these drugs can cause blood pressure to rise in some cases. Additionally, some people experience a significant boost in energy when taking these drugs. This can lead to feelings of restlessness, anxiety, and insomnia in certain situations.
Conclusions
There are a few different types of vasoconstrictors that are commonly used in both prescription medications and over-the-counter drugs. Vyvanse is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor that does not contain any vasoconstrictors. In fact, Vyvanse works by blocking the reuptake of serotonin.
This means that it’s not technically accurate to refer to Vyvanse as a vasoconstrictor. Instead, it is a reuptake inhibitor of serotonin.
There are a number of advantages to using vasoconstrictors in ADHD medications, including an increase in blood flow and an improvement in attention spans. There are also some disadvantages to using vasoconstrictors, including an increase in blood pressure and the potential for restlessness and insomnia.
