In the second of a series of three government-commissioned
studies on the risks of popular drugs used to treat attention
deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), researchers report that
the medications do not lead to increased risks of sudden death
or heart events in adults. The research follows another study in
children, published last month, which came to a similar
conclusion. The current study, led by Laurel Habel, a research
fellow in epidemiology at Kaiser Permanente’s division of
research, included data on more than 150,000 adults, aged 25 to
64, using medications like Adderall, Concerta, Strattera and
Ritalin. The researchers found that, overall, those taking ADHD
drugs were no more likely to have a heart attack, stroke or
sudden death, compared with a matched group of non-users, during
the study’s follow-up period. The previous study, conducted by a
separate group of scientists, showed similar results among 1.2
million children and younger adults taking ADHD medications.
Reports from doctors and patient