VOLUME 67   2006   SUPPLEMENT 8

Editor’s Choice

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a condition that requires a comprehensive management strategy integrated with the rest of patients' care. This disorder has a major negative impact not only on affected patients, but also on their families and society. Those of us in primary care are positioned to be of great benefit to our patients through the early recognition and effective management of ADHD.

The evaluation of ADHD usually requires gathering data from not only the patient but family, school, and other informants as well. Treatment, to be optimal, usually requires the combination of pharmacologic and behavioral methods. Patients and families also can benefit greatly from education and counseling provided or arranged by the primary care physician and specialty consultants. Effective management can be life-changing, leading to improved functioning and quality of life. However, to be ready for the challenge patients and families affected by ADHD provide us, we need to be current on the latest developments in understanding of its origins, methods for evaluation, and treatment options.

This supplement brings together the leaders in the research and clinical treatment of ADHD to provide such an update—one rich with insights into an exciting set of recent research and clinical advances. Together, the articles in this supplement offer an exceptional overview, ranging from the latest advances in our understanding of the genetic origins of ADHD, through its effects on brain processes and human functioning, to the latest on evaluation and treatment strategies. With this new information, primary care physicians will be ready to provide their patients affected by ADHD with optimal care.

Larry Culpepper, MD, MPH

Editor in Chief

The Primary Care Companion to the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry