Cincinnati—Pediatric congenital heart disease patients don’t need to avoid taking stimulants to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to a new study that finds no increase of significant cardiovascular events with use of the drugs. The research from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center was presented recently at the annual meeting of the Society for Development and Behavioral Pediatrics in Las Vegas. Researchers studied 44 children between the ages of 6 and 18 who were patients of the Cincinnati Children’s Heart Institute Kindervelt Neurodevelopmental and Educational Clinic. Results indicated no increased risk for death or changes in cardiac vital signs, such as blood pressure or heart rate, even for children with ADHD and severe heart conditions. At the same time, the study found significant improvement in ADHD symptoms as measured by standardized rating scales.
Published October 30, 2015
