Focalin Dosage
Generic name: DEXMETHYLPHENIDATE HYDROCHLORIDE 2.5mg
Dosage form: tablet
Drug class: CNS stimulants
Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Oct 13, 2023.
2.1 Pretreatment Screening
Prior to treating patients with Focalin, assess:
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- for the presence of cardiac disease (i.e., perform a careful history, family history of sudden death or ventricular arrhythmia, and physical exam).
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- the family history and clinically evaluate patients for motor or verbal tics or Tourette’s syndrome before initiating Focalin.
2.2 Recommended Dosage
Patients New to Methylphenidate
The recommended starting dose of Focalin for pediatric patients who are not currently taking racemic methylphenidate, or for patients who are on stimulants other than methylphenidate, is 5 mg daily (2.5 mg twice daily) with or without food.
Patients Currently on Methylphenidate
The recommended starting dose of Focalin for pediatric patients currently using methylphenidate is half (1/2) the total daily dose of racemic methylphenidate.
Titration Schedule
The dose may be titrated weekly in increments of 2.5 mg to 5 mg to a maximum of 20 mg daily (10 mg twice daily). The dose should be individualized according to the needs and response of the patient.
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