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About 431 of these would have had cardiac-related adverse events, using the percentage they reported from the 64 hospitals. Using these data collected from the 64 hospitals, the researchers estimated that on a national level, 3075 people visited emergency rooms for adverse drug reactions related to ADHD drugs (in the time frame studied). As for the cardiovascular effects, 14% of the patients who visited the emergency room had cardiovascular symptoms, such as chest pain, stroke, fainting, increased heart rate, high blood pressure, or difficulty breathing. Thirty-six percent had taken a drug that was not prescribed to them. Most visits were cases of accidental overdoses (61%), meaning patients took their medications more often than directed by their doctors or the drug label. Ritalin, Concerta, Focalin, Metadate, Attenadeĭextroamphetamine, amphetamine with dextroamphetamine, methamphetamine
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See the table below for the drugs that were involved in the study. During that time, the hospitals reported a total of 188 emergency room visits because of adverse drug reactions from any of five stimulant medications that are commonly prescribed for the treatment of ADHD.
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Researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) surveyed 64 hospitals from Augto December 31, 2005. However, the skyrocketing use of these drugs is worrisome, given the cardiovascular risks that have recently come to light. Most studies have shown that stimulant medication is effective for 70-80% of children with ADHD. adults who are prescribed ADHD medication are at 1.5 million. Treatment of ADHD in adults is also on the rise, with a reported 90% increase in adult use of these drugs over the past three years. However, ADHD is no longer just a childhood condition. Stephen Borowitz of the University of Virginia estimated that a third of the children he sees are taking at least two prescription medications, usually a drug for ADHD and an antihistamine to prevent those side effects. Common complications of ADHD medication include weight loss and insomnia, and Dr. are prescribed stimulant medication for the treatment of ADHD. The use of stimulant medications to treat attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) steadily increased in the United States from 1991 to 1999, and the most recent statistics estimate that about 10% of all preadolescent boys in the U.S.
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