ADHD drug misuse sends adolescents to the ER

A report issued by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) says that people aged 18 to 25 have a higher rate of non-medical use of the two medications used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but those 12 to 17 may be at greater risk for adverse health effects, especially from non-medical use.

The latest Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) Report, entitled Emergency Department Visits Involving ADHD Stimulant Medications, explains that in 2004 nearly 8,000 visits to the emergency room involved methylphenidate (sold as Concerta or Ritalin) or amphetamine-dextroamphetamine (Adderall), the two medications for treating ADHD. The rates for ER visits as a result of 12 to 17 year-olds using these medications was higher that year than the rates of adult patients over 18. As well, the data suggest that use of one or more drugs in addition to ADHD medication was commonly seen in ER visits involving misuse of ADHD drugs and may increase the possible health risks.

Assistant Surgeon General Eric Broderick, DDS, MPH, SAMHSA Acting Deputy Administrator called on parents to carefully monitor their child’s use of these drugs and said, “These findings suggest an alarming level of non-medical use that could have life-threatening consequences, such as heart attack or stroke.”

For patients 12-17 who take methylphenidate for medical use, there were 1.6 visits to the emergency room per 100,000 people, compared to 0.4 visits per 100,000 in the 18-24 age category. Among the ER visits related to non-medical use of methylphenidate there were 1.7 visits per 100,000 people 12-17, compared to 1.0 per 100,000 in the 18-24 age group.

For all age groups reporting non-medical use, 32% of patients had ingested the ADHD drug alone. For the 68% using on or more drugs in addition to the ADHD medication, 20% reported using alcohol, 26% used an illicit drug, and 57% used another pharmaceutical medication.

Findings from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, another SAMHSA report, showed that patients aged 18-25 had a higher rate of non-medical use of ADHD stimulants than those younger or older, mostly because college students are believed to use these drugs for their stimulant properties as study aids.

A recommendation in January 2006 by an FDA advisory panel stated that ADHD drugs should carry a warning of increased potential for cardiac problems, such as cardiac arrests, stroke and hypertension. The possibility of a patient experiencing medical problems may be exacerbated by using ADHD drugs improperly or with other drugs.

© Copyright 2007 Insight Journal Online Magazine.

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