ADHD Meds May Pose Heart Risks for Some Kids

ADHD Meds May Pose Heart Risks for Some Kids

Study found slightly higher chance of irregular heartbeat shortly after starting methylphenidate

WebMD News from HealthDay

By Dennis Thompson

HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, June 1, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Ritalin, a popular drug for treating attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), might increase the risk of an abnormal heart rhythm shortly after a young person starts taking it, a new study suggests.

Children and teens who were prescribed methylphenidate -- sold under the brand names Ritalin, Daytrana and Concerta -- had a 61 percent increased risk of arrhythmias during the first two months of use, according to the analysis of South Korean patients.

But most children on the medication should not experience heart problems, stressed senior study author Nicole Pratt, a senior research fellow at the Quality Use of Medicines and Pharmacy Research Center at the University of South Australia.

"In the average child, the risk of serious cardiovascular events is extremely small [three per 100,000 per year], and any absolute excess risk associated with methylphenidate is also likely to be small," Pratt said.

Also, the study did not prove that the medication causes an irregular heartbeat.

However, doctors should take these findings into account when putting a child on methylphenidate, Pratt added.

Kids with existing congenital heart disease are most affected by the drug, with a more than threefold increased risk of heart rhythm problems, the study found.

"Children on these medicines should have [their] blood pressure and heart rate monitored to help mitigate potential risk," Pratt said. "Health professionals also need to consider the risk/benefit balance in children with prior history of heart disease or children on medicines that can affect [heart rhythm], particularly where symptoms of ADHD are mild."

Ritalin stimulates the central nervous system, the researchers said in background notes.

Concerns have been raised that stimulants like methylphenidate can affect heart health, the study authors said.

And other stimulants have been shown to affect heart rate and heart rhythm, said Dr. Kabir Bhasin, director of clinical education for cardiac electrophysiology at Lenox Hill Hospital, in New York City .

"We tell cardiac patients to avoid things like caffeine," Bhasin said. "Clearly, methylphenidate is a stronger stimulant than caffeine, but it's the same guiding principle."

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