World of Psychology

Mixed messages on ADHD

By John M. Grohol, PsyD
Founder & Editor-in-Chief

Mixed messages on ADHD

Parents who are concerned about the heart risks of stimulants to treat attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder may hear conflicting advice from doctors, depending on whom they consult.

Last week, an advisory panel to the Food and Drug Administration voted 8-7 to suggest adding the agency’s strongest warning label to Ritalin, Adderall and similar medications. The panel based its decision on an FDA report that found 25 children and adults had died suddenly from 1999 to 2003 after taking ADHD drugs.

Steven Nissen, an advisory committee member, says many of the 4 million people who use the drugs may not realize that they have serious side effects. “I want parents and doctors, before they prescribe amphetamines and amphetamine-like drugs to children, to think a little harder whether they need them,” says Nissen, interim chairman of the Cleveland Clinic’s department of cardiovascular medicine.


Comments


View Comments / Leave a Comment

This post currently has one comment. You can read the comments or leave your own thoughts on our new comments page.


    Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 17 Feb 2006
    Published on PsychCentral.com. All rights reserved.

APA Reference
Grohol, J. (2006). Mixed messages on ADHD. Psych Central. Retrieved on May 25, 2012, from http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2006/02/17/mixed-messages-on-adhd/

 

Recent Comments
  • CandidFrank65: Interesting article. I have been living in Trinidad since 1965. The fact is that East Indians are much...
  • CARL: I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE SAID ABOUT INTIMACY (LOVE) NEEDS TRUST AND SAFETY. I TO HAVE STUDIED THIS...
  • Daisy: An article full of wisdom, I think! My husband and I have recently celebrated our 25th wedding...
  • Austin: To the author: “… the rest of the seminal fluid has more than 4 dozen other chemicals. One of...
  • Austin: It’s certainly worth a study, but there’s every reason not to assume an equivalent result. The...
Subscribe to Our Weekly Newsletter



Find a Therapist


Users Online: 4059
Join Us Now!