Drugs for Adult ADHD Safe for the Heart

Young and middle-aged adults taking drugs for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) don't seem to have an increased risk for cardiovascular disease, according to a new study.

This is good news, doctors say, because it reduces concerns about whether these medications cause high blood pressure and increased heart rates.

"The results of our study do not support an increased risk of myocardial infarction, sudden cardiac death, or stroke associated with use of ADHD medications in young and middle-aged adults," says lead researcher Laurel Habel, Ph.D., at Kaiser Permanente Northern California. She cautions that the study merely implies no risk, and that more research is needed to make a definite conclusion.

Compared groups

Dr. Habel's team looked at health data on more than 150,000 young and middle-age adults who were taking a methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta), an amphetamine (Adderall), or atomoxetine (Strattera) for ADHD and then compared those individuals with more than 293,000 people who weren't prescribed any of those drugs.

Researchers found that more than 1,300 people taking the drugs had heart attacks, sudden cardiac deaths, and stroke. But, they also learned that the drugs were not associated with an increased risk for any of those events. In addition, no specific drug or duration of use of any specific drug was linked to an increased risk for heart attack, sudden cardiac death, or stroke.

Similar rates

Furthermore, neither a history of heart disease nor advancing age increased the risk among ADHD drug users. They found that the rate of cardiovascular events was almost the same while using an ADHD drug as it was in the year after stopping the medication.

Heart disease was about the same or slightly higher among those taking ADHD drugs than among those not taking these medications.

The study results were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Another study

An additional study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, also found no increased risk for cardiovascular events with these drugs. That study looked at 1.2 million children and young adults.

In 2006, the FDA suggested that a boxed warning be added to prescription information on these stimulant medications. A boxed warning, also known as a "black box warning," emphasizes serious or life-threatening risks associated with a drug. But based on these two recent studies, the FDA decided not to issue new warnings.

Always talk with your health care provider to find out more information.

Online Resources

(Our Organization is not responsible for the content of Internet sites.)

National Institute of Mental Health - Can adults have ADHD?

National Institute on Drug Abuse - Stimulant ADHD Medications

National Resource Center on AD/HD - Managing Medication for Adults with ADHD

February 2012

Symptoms of ADHD in Adults

Symptoms of ADHD can range from mild to severe. Symptoms that may be noticed by friends, family, and coworkers include problems with learning, self-control, addiction, independent functioning, social interaction, and organizing the tasks of daily life.

ADHD can cause problems like these:

• Being unable to keep a job or not keeping jobs long

• Not achieving educational goals otherwise within the person's ability

• Having marital difficulties

• Having accidents, traffic violations, or arrests

• Frequent episodes of anger or rage

Symptoms of ADHD also can be symptoms of other health, emotional, learning, cognitive, or language problems. More than 50 percent of people with ADHD have other psychiatric conditions, such as anxiety, depression, and eating disorders. Once your health care provider rules out these other causes, he or she may refer you to a specialist who has training and experience treating ADHD.

Always talk with your health care provider to find out more information.