Risk of Cardiac Events in Youth Not Increased by Stimulant Treatment for ADHD

by Kathy Jones on  February 11, 2012 at 5:07 PM Child Health News
  •   Print
  •   Share
  •   Comments
  •  Text 
Stimulant medications, such as methylphenidate and amphetamine products, are used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which affects 5-9% of youth.

A recent safety communication from the US Food and Drug Administration advised that all patients undergoing ADHD treatment be monitored for changes in heart rate or blood pressure.

Amidst growing concern over the risks of stimulant use in youth, a study by Dr. Mark Olfson of the New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University, and his colleagues, published in the February 2012 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, assessed the risk of adverse cardiovascular events in children and adolescents without known heart conditions treated with stimulants for ADHD. It is one of the largest studies to date focusing primarily on youth while controlling for pre-existing cardiovascular risk factors.

As reported in the study, Olfson and colleagues examined claims records from a large privately insured population for associations between cardiovascular events in youth with ADHD and stimulant treatment. In total 171,126 privately insured youth aged 6-21 years without known pre-existing heart-related risk factors were followed throughout the study.

The study included patients who have previously received stimulant treatment, patients currently receiving stimulant treatment, and patients who began or ceased stimulant treatments during the study period. Olfson and colleagues assessed the various groups for incidents of severe cardiovascular events such as acute myocardial infarction, less severe cardiovascular events such as cardiac dysrhythmias, and cardiovascular symptoms such as tachycardia and palpitations. Analysis showed that cardiovascular events and symptoms were rare in this cohort and not associated with stimulant use.

This finding helps to allay concerns of adverse events in otherwise healthy young people receiving treatment for ADHD. Olfson and colleagues said of the results, "It is reassuring that in these young people, short-term stimulant treatment did not substantially increase the risk of cardiovascular events or symptoms."



Source-Eurekalert

 Email Email   RSS Feeds RSS Feeds   Print this page Print   Save this page Save   Link Link   Syndicate Syndicate   Comments Comments   Bookmark and Share
 
Comment & Contribute
Comments should be on the topic and should not be abusive. Comments are normally moderated and are reviewed after they are posted.
* Your comment can be maximum of 2500 characters

Notify me when reply is posted
I agree to the terms and conditions
  
If you have a question about health related issues, you can now post it in our Ask An Expert section on our community website Medwonders.com and get answers from our panel of experts.
X
  • Health News Index
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
News Archive
Date :
Category :
Keyword :
Quiz on ADHD
Give our ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) quiz your best shot and learn what it generally means and what causes it, its symptoms and treatment.
  • News Quick Links
News Central Health Watch
Latest Health News Health In Focus
News Category (500+) Breaking Health News
Popular News Celebrating Life
Health News and Press Release Medindia - Exclusive
News Photo Gallery India Special
News Video Gallery Lifestyle and Wellness
News From Other Resources
ADHD
Complete Medindia Resources
News Categories:  
Obesity Health Center

Child Health Related News

» Include Bone Age Measurement During Routine Care For Kids With Crohn's Disease » Obesity Raises Cranial Disorder In Kids That May Cause Blindness
» Study Says Babies Learn from 'Just Right' Experiences » Study Says Softening Agent Used in PVC Floor Materials Increases Risk of Asthma and Allergies in Infants
» Childhood Wheezing Not Linked to Viral Infections in Infancy » Letting Infants Cry Could Prove Detrimental to Health
» Investigate Crib Deaths, Orders Bengal Government » C-section Doubles Childhood Obesity Risk
Read More >>