Recent Study: ADHD Medication does NOT Increase Blood Pressure, but May Affect Heart Rate.

Recent Study: ADHD Medication does NOT Increase Blood Pressure, but May Affect Heart Rate.

Researchers found out that stimulants used to treat ADHD among young individuals do not appear to increase risk for hypertension, but it may have modest effects on heart rate. The study was conducted in NIMH-founded Multimodal Treatment Study of Children with ADHD (MTA) and was published online in September 2, 2011 in American Journal of Psychiatry.
The MTA was founded to study different treatments for ADHD in children. In its follow-up study, those children that participated in previous studies have their blood pressure and heart rate examined for two, three, six, eight and ten years after study entry. The data was analyzed by Benedetto Vitiello, M.D of NIMH and MTA colleagues to determine if there were any effects associated with chronic stimulant use.
The studied data indicate that children who were randomly selected to stimulant treatment had, on average, higher heartbeat rates compared those who were randomized to non-medication or community care. Heart rates of children who continued to take stimulants years after the study are slightly elevated, but researchers noted that it was not tachycardic.
Another finding noted by researchers is that stimulant use in ADHD did not appear to increase risk for abnormally high blood pressure (hypertension) over a 10-year period, but because some epidemiological studies indicate that even modest elevation in heart rate may increase lifetime risk for cardiovascular problems, the persistent effect of stimulant treatment on heart rate should not be dismissed.
The study is significant because many doctors are concerned about the effects of stimulants in the heart such as rapid heart rate and elevated blood pressure, which are considered risks for cardiovascular disease. It also indicates that effect of stimulants can be detected even years after use. Researchers added that effect on heart rate can be significant for individuals who have underlying heart conditions, and therefore long-term regular monitoring is advised to check for potential cardiovascular complications.
ADHD affects approximately 3 to 5 percent of children globally; with significant numbers still have the condition as they progress into adulthood so some children have to take stimulants for years.