Shots - Health Blog Tue November 1, 2011 Study Finds Scant
Evidence Of Heart Risks From ADHD Drugs For Kids Children taking
stimulant drugs like Ritalin for ADHD aren't at greater risk of
having a heart attack or other serious cardiovascular problems,
according to new research published online today in the New
England Journal of Medicine. But critics of the widespread use
of prescription amphetamines to treat the symptoms of attention
deficit-hyperactivity disorder — 2.7 million children are taking
the drugs — say this latest study still doesn't give ADHD drugs
a clean bill of health. "It helps a little bit, but doesn't help
all that much," says Steven Nissen, chairman of the department
of cardiovascular medicine at the Cleveland Clinic. In this new
study, the researchers looked at the medical records of 1.2
million children and young adults in four health plans in time
frames from 1.5 to 3.9 years. They found that 81 had heart
attacks, strokes, or died suddenly while taking methylphenidate,
sold under the br