Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry · Sep 1995
Guanfacine treatment of comorbid attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and Tourette's syndrome: preliminary clinical experience.
Many children with Tourette's syndrome (TS) are handicapped more by difficulties with inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity than by their tics. However, stimulant medications used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can exacerbate tics. Guanfacine is an alpha 2-adrenergic agonist that may have beneficial effects on attention, without the hypotensive or sedative effects of clonidine, which is often used as an alternative to stimulants. ⋯ Guanfacine may provide a safe alternative therapy for children with ADHD in the presence of tics. Future double-blind, controlled trials should be undertaken.