Should You Take Ritalin?

At least 3.3 million Americans currently take medications to

ease the symptoms of Attention Deficit Disorder. The majority

of these medications are amphetamine-based stimulants.

The doctors prescribe these drugs, but that does not mean they

are necessarily safe, says the Federal Drug Administration

which is currently looking at placing strong warnings on

stimulant ADD medications like Ritalin, Adderall and Concerta.

An FDA advisory panel voted in February to recommend that all

stimulant ADHD drugs carry a "black box" warning - the

strongest possible safety warning - to indicate that the drugs

may increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes and sudden

death.

Black box warnings are intended to alert physicians and

patients that a drug may carry significant risks. The FDA

advisory panel ruled on this black box warning after reviewing

data concerning death and other negative heart problems

associated with stimulant drug medication use. Although data

varies between reporting agencies, 25 to 51 deaths have been

attributed to ADHD medication use. Experts estimate that less

than 10 percent of serious drug reactions are reported to the

FDA, so the deaths and serious adverse effects are undoubtedly

much higher.

Of the reported deaths studied by the advisory panel, 19 were

children. Other reports described 54 cases of high blood

pressure, chest pain, heart attacks, strokes, irregular heart

beats and fainting. The number of arrhythmia has been

surprising. It is believed to be the pathway for the sudden,

unexplained deaths. And because adults have a higher risk of

heart disease and stroke to begin with, any increase in risk

caused by these drugs could affect a large number of people.

One committee member stated that not disclosing the risks

associated with taking these drugs is unethical. Because of

the gravity of the side effects, namely sudden death,

physicians need to be clearly aware of the serious side

effects before prescribing these drugs to their patients. The

panel, while expressing concern about the over prescribing of

ADHD medications, stated that they want physicians to pause

before writing prescriptions for stimulant medications. The

FDA advisory committee also unanimously recommended that the

FDA include medication guides with all stimulant ADHD drugs

warning about the risks.

FDA is not required to follow recommendations given by the

advisory committee, though the FDA usually does follow

recommendations. The FDA awaits advice from its pediatric

panel in March before reaching a decision. The FDA plans to

refer the issue to another advisory panel that deals with

psychological problems in children. Additionally, the FDA is

planning a new study of ADHD drugs that will take

approximately 18 months to complete. Some are adamant that the

FDA should not wait for the results of this study. The FDA has

been criticized in the past for being slow to respond to

evidence of health risks associated with such things as drugs,

including painkillers and antidepressants.

At least two million children and one million adults take

prescription ADHD medication every month. Opponents of this

black box warning - the strongest warning in the industry -

say that they’ve found less than one death or injury for every

1 million prescription filled. It is true that the number of

deaths caused by ADHD medications make up an incredibly small

percent of people using the drug. However, if that one death

is someone you love, that fact is little consolation.

One thought is that a black box warning will help the out of

control rate in which doctors prescribe ADHD drugs. Many

experts believe stimulants like Adderall and Ritalin are being

over prescribed, especially to adults, and the public and

doctors are largely unaware of the potential risks. They say

the chemical structure of stimulants were structurally similar

to drugs like ephedrine, that have proven cardiovascular

risks. Besides the 25-51 deaths reported between 1999 and

2003, the council also discovered there were 54 cases of

cardiovascular problems, which included heart attacks,

strokes, and hypertension.

If you or someone you love is currently taking a stimulant

ADHD medication for Attention Deficit Disorder, you might want

to consider alternatives to ADHD medications. These

alternatives can include diet modification, exercise regimes,

family therapy, biofeedback and other alternatives that show

promise in easing the symptoms of Attention Deficit Disorder.

Comments? Questions? Email Here

© HowtoAdvice.com

How to Advice .com