“Black Box Warning”/ADHD
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| Wednesday, February 15th, 2006 | By Robert Seith | CWK Network Senior Producer |
“As a parent, the only thing I can do is make sure she’s monitored consistently, that each time there is an episode where she does have chest pain and she does have that rapid heart rate that we make a notation.”
– Colleen Baird, concerned about the effect the ADHD medication Adderall is having on her daughter’s heart
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Sixteen-year-old Devon takes Adderall because she has ADHD, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. She also has a defective valve in her heart.
“I don’t know if my heart condition is going to change or if it will get more serious,” she says.
Her mother, Colleen, has the same fear.
“I’ve lived with this all the time, wondering secretly what this medicine was really doing to my child,” says Colleen.
Is there a link between ADHD medications and heart problems? It’s not clear.
After reviewing 25 deaths over a four-year period, an FDA panel believes these medications should come with a warning.
“The concern is that there is the possibility of sudden cardiac death,” says psychiatrist Richard Winer, M.D. “Although it’s not well established whether [the heart problems are] related to the medication or not, certainly those children who have a history of structural cardiac abnormalities should not be taking this medication.”
Experts say if kids taking these pills experience occasional dizziness, rapid pulse, high blood pressure or chest pain, they should see a cardiologist.
And psychiatrist Steven Jaffe, M.D., makes it clear: “If they don’t feel good on it, if there’s any reaction at all, you don’t keep taking it.”
Experts also say not all ADHD kids should be taking medicine. There are other treatments.
“There’s always the possibility that a child might be able to function at a decent level using non-pharmacological approaches,” explains Dr. Winer. “But the odds are certainly much greater in favor of a child who actually does utilize medication as long as they’re physically able to do so.”
Colleen says it’s a painful dilemma – the medicine helps Devon’s grades in school, but it may also be damaging her heart.
On the other hand, she says, “If she wasn’t on her medication, I’d also live with the other fears, the impulsivity – driving in a car, getting in an accident, doing something that is just as dangerous for her.
What We Need To Know
- Experts remind parents that most children face little or no risk from ADHD medications. It may only be the rare few that have pre-existing heart problems.
- Experts from the FDA say the decision by the panel is not meant to scare parents, but serve as another reminder that the decision to put your child on ADHD medications should be taken very seriously.
- Most ADHD medications are derived from stimulants, including amphetamines. While they aid concentration, they can raise blood pressure, which is a risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
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