ADHD medicines have usually been suspected of increasing blood pressure and heart rate in kids as well as grown-ups. Striving to put an end to this cause for concern, scientists from Kaiser Permanente have disclosed that there was apparently no increased risk of heart problems associated with ADHD medications.
However, the experts opined that these drugs may increase heart risk slightly and so patients must talk to their doctors before laying hands on one. Moreover, the experimental drugs were temporary medications and the results may not be applicable for long-term therapies. Some of the medicines used in the study were inclusive of stimulants as well as non stimulants.
Laurel Habel, PhD, lead author of the study, commented, “It’s important to note that this is an observational study and not a randomized clinical trial.”
When users of these drugs were pitted against non-users, the outcomes showed that there were no heart risks associated with those in the former group. Also, when this group was compared to past users, it came to light that the risk factor associated with exposure and non-exposure to these medications was similar. Moreover, in case of subgroups of users accessing a particular type of drug, for a specific duration, there was seemingly no sign of increased risk in any one specific set.
The study is published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
