Study: ADHD Drugs Not Linked To Increased Heart Risks In Adults
DETROIT (WWJ) - A study released this week found that adults who take medication for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder do not appear to increase their risk of heat attack or stroke.
WWJ's Rob Sanford said the findings were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Researchers compared approximately 150,000 adults prescribed ADHD medication with approximately 300,000 nonusers and found no evidence of a link between ADHD medications and myocardial infarction, sudden cardiac death, or stroke.
Medications used for the treatment of ADD can include Ritalin, Adderall and Concerta, all of which are considered stimulants. For several years it was felt prolonged exposure to those drugs could increase the likelihood of heart disease in adults.
"We also want to point out that we looked at 25- to 64-year-olds, and so we cannot really speak to whether or not there's an increase in older adults. And also that our study finding are similar to what was found in a companion study in children," said Laural Habel, lead author of the study.
More than 1.5 million adults take drugs for ADHD, while still others take the same medication for depression and narcolepsy.
