ADHDDrugs and the Heart
The attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) interferes with thefunctioning of the brain. About 11% of school- aged children areaffected by this disorder (Inglis et al, 2016). Many puzzleshave been developed about the drugs used to control the disease.According to research you have one less thing to worry about if yourchild is being treated for the disorder. The study providedreassuring evidence that drugs used to treat (ADHD) do not lead to anincrease in the occurrence of heart disease. It was confirmed by thefact that only about three out of 100,000 children were diagnosedwith heart problems (Modesto-Lowe et al, 2014). However,doctors should take these results into account when putting a childon medication. Despite the fact that medication does not causeincreased heartbeat, children with existing cardiac problems might beaffected by the drugs. Children under this medication should bemonitored to curb any potential risk of irregular heart rhythm. Inaddition, health specialist should also account for the benefits andrisk involved in children with a past history of cardiac disease.This is due to the fact that the nervous system is stimulated byRitalin (Parker, 2013). Take a moment and look at the methods used toevaluate data in the research. Statistical methods and assumptionswere used to evaluate the data. The motive behind this strategy wasto challenge their own findings so as to provide an accuratereassurance to the parents. Moreover, the geographic area surveyedwas vast and a culturally diverse group was used to draw information(Inglis et al, 2016). This made the research more evident thatit was accurate.
Though these drugs are not associated with the cardiovasculardisorder, to some extent these drugs may cause heart diseases(Lieberman et al, 2015). This is proven by the fact thatchildren are susceptible within their first few months on medication.The risk is highest within the first three days of medication. Inaddition, behavioral therapies and providing support are remediesemphasized in treating ADHD. This enables the child to perform betterat school and also a more satisfying relationship is established. Insummary results from this research indicate that medication does notlead to heart problems or sudden death.
In addition, Canada and the United States had earlier on raised somepossibility that stimulants drugs increased cardiac risk. TheAmerican Heart Association came up with the idea that it would bebetter for children diagnosed with ADHD to have an electrocardiogram(Glauser et al, 2013). This ideology was opposed by the mainAcademy of pediatrics. The academy believed that sudden death andcardiac problems were rare in ADHD patients. According to resultsfrom this academy, such deaths occur in only two children per everymillion. In fact, this figure was lower compared to the sudden deathsthat occur in a general pediatric population. Medical journals inEngland support the anti-ECG testing, propelled by the AmericanAcademy of Pediatrics (AAP) (Lieberman et al, 2015). Otherinstitutions such as The American Academy of Child and AdolescentPsychiatry (AACAP) advocates that routine laboratory andpsychological testing should not be carried out unless a symptom inthe child medical history shows the need to carry out this test.
Another study involving more vulnerable pediatric patientsacknowledged that there was no significant increase in the rate ofheart diseases. The study was funded by U.S to study the effects ofthe stimulants. The vulnerable population had a high risk ofcongenital heart defects and was on medication of stimulant drugs(Glauser et al, 2013). The participants of the study weredrawn from U.S children who qualified for public health cover. Thecover provided coverage the minorities such as the low-incomeearners, a more susceptible group when weighed against the childrenunder private care cover. The provisions of the study confirmed thesafety of the nervous system. The analyzed data also showed only asmall proportion was associated with an increase in cardiovasculardisorders. The previous findings were supported by this researchthat the drugs did not lead to an abnormal cardiac event in children.Additionally, other studies involving adults, analyst examinedmedical records of 150,359 adults who took stimulants to controlattention deficit hyperactivity disorder (Modesto-Lowe et al,2015). The result from the analysis was compared to the earlier twocontrols. No significant difference was noted in the rate of heartattacks or sudden death.
In conclusion, research has shown that stimulant does not lead to anincrease in cardiac disorders. Doctors should also carry outcomprehensive check up for a child believed to have ADHD.
References
Glauser, T. A., Cnaan, A., Shinnar, S., Hirtz, D. G., Dlugos, D.,Masur, D., … & Adamson, P. C. (2013). Ethosuximide, valproicacid, and lamotrigine in childhood absence epilepsy. New EnglandJournal of Medicine, 362(9), 790-799.
Inglis, S. K., Carucci, S., Garas, P., Häge, A., Banaschewski, T.,Buitelaar, J. K., … & Liddle, E. (2016). Prospectiveobservational study protocol to investigate long-term adverse effectsof methylphenidate in children and adolescents with ADHD: theAttention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Drugs Use Chronic Effects(ADDUCE) study. BMJ open, 6(4), e010433.
Lieberman, J. A., Stroup, T. S., McEvoy, J. P., Swartz, M. S.,Rosenheck, R. A., Perkins, D. O., … & Severe, J. (2015).Effectiveness of antipsychotic drugs in patients with chronicschizophrenia. New England Journal of Medicine, 353(12),1209-1223.
Modesto-Lowe, V., Chaplin, M., Godsay, V., & Soovajian, V.(2014). Parenting Teens With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity DisorderChallenges and Opportunities. Clinical pediatrics,0009922814540984.
Parker, C. (2013). Pharmacological treatments for ADHD. Progressin Neurology and Psychiatry, 17(4), 11-20.