No medications have been FDA approved for Conduct Disorder, but risperidone (a second-generation antipsychotic) has the most evidence to support its use for aggression in children who have not responded to behavioral and psychosocial interventions. Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) are also sometimes used to treat irritability in these patients. Prognosis
About 25-40% of youths diagnosed with conduct disorder qualify for a diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder when they reach adulthood. For those that do not develop ASPD, most still exhibit social dysfunction in adult life. Epidemiology
Conduct disorder is estimated to affect 51.1 million people globally as of 2013. The percentage of children affected by conduct disorder is estimated to range from 1-10%. However, among incarcerated youth or youth in juvenile detention facilities, rates of conduct disorder are between 23% and 87%. Sex differences
The majority of research on conduct disorder suggests that there are a significantly greater number of males than females with the diagnosis, with some reports demonstrating a threefold to fourfold difference in prevalence. However, this difference may be somewhat biased by the diagnostic criteria which focus on more overt behaviors, such as aggression and fighting, which are more often exhibited by males. Females are more likely to be characterized by covert behaviors, such as stealing or running away. Moreover, conduct disorder in females is linked to several negative outcomes, such as antisocial personality disorder and early pregnancy, suggesting that sex differences in disruptive behaviors need to be more fully understood. Females are more responsive to peer pressure including feelings of guilt than males.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Clonidine may improve symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in some people but causes many adverse effects and the beneficial effect is modest. In Australia, clonidine is an accepted but not approved use for ADHD by the TGA. Clonidine, along with methylphenidate, has been studied for treatment of ADHD. While not as effective as methylphenidate in treating ADHD, clonidine does offer some benefit; it can also be useful in combination with stimulant medications. Some studies show clonidine to be more sedating than guanfacine, which may be better at bedtime along with an arousing stimulant in the morning. Clonidine has been used to reduce sleep disturbances in ADHD, including to help offset stimulant-associated insomnia. Drug withdrawal
Clonidine may be used to ease drug withdrawal symptoms associated with abruptly stopping the long-term use of opioids, alcohol, benzodiazepines and nicotine. It can alleviate opioid withdrawal symptoms by reducing the sympathetic nervous system response such as tachycardia and hypertension, hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating), hot and cold flashes, and akathisia. It may also be helpful in aiding smokers to quit. The sedation effect is also useful. However, its side effects can sometimes include insomnia, thus exacerbating an already common feature of most withdrawal syndromes. Clonidine may also reduce severity of neonatal abstinence syndrome in infants born to mothers that are using certain drugs, particularly opioids. In infants with neonatal withdrawal syndrome, clonidine may improve the neonatal intensive care unit Network Neurobehavioral Score.Clonidine has also been suggested as a treatment for rare instances of dexmedetomidine withdrawal.