Researchers have discovered that those who take certain ADHD medications may have a higher risk for heart disease, particularly arterial disease and hypertension.
ADHD Medications
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that makes it difficult for individuals to remain focused and makes it more likely for them to act impulsively. The condition can interfere with daily functioning. Hence, individuals with ADHD may have to take some medications to help them with school or work and boost their overall quality of life.
ADHD treatment may involve using some medications that can help improve some symptoms and behaviors. Some common medications include both stimulants and non-stimulants. At times, a person with ADHD may require more than one kind of medication to help combat symptoms.
Research regarding the long-term effects of using ADHD medication still continues. Such data could aid doctors in coming up with guided decisions as they prescribe these medications.
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ADHD Medications and Cardiovascular Risk
The recent study "Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Medications and Long-Term Risk of Cardiovascular Diseases" in Sweden covered data of more than 278,000 participants who were six to 64 years old. The participants were either diagnosed with ADHD or taking medications for ADHD.
Researchers examined the duration of the ADHD medication use, which went up to 14 years. They also looked into cardiovascular disease incidence, including heart failure, abnormal heart rhythms, arterial disease, and high blood pressure.
The data was collected through the National Inpatient Register, which documents diagnoses, as well as the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register, which documents dispensed medication data.
The researchers discovered in their analysis that individuals who took ADHD medications had a higher cardiovascular disease risk. This was particularly observed within the first three cumulative years of medication. After this, the linked risk stayed quite stable.
Similar findings were observed among both men and women as well as children and adults.
Results revealed that the participants who took ADHD medications had a higher risk for arterial disease and blood pressure, particularly. However, the risk with other cardiovascular conditions appeared to be statistically insignificant.
The findings also suggest that cardiovascular risk could be higher with stimulant medications, rather than their non-stimulant counterparts. The study stresses the significance of considering the benefits and risks when it comes to long-term ADHD medication.
Study Limitations
However, there are certain limitations to the study. For one, it does not establish any causal link between ADHD medication and cardiovascular conditions. The study also only covered individuals from one country, indicating the necessity to have more diverse studies and possibly larger sample sizes.
The researchers also say that there is a possibility that some cardiovascular diseases could have been present even without diagnosis. There is also a misclassification possibility if the participants did not follow the prescribed way of taking their medications.
Residual confounding is also possible. The findings could have been affected by confounders that vary by time.
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