Clinicians should take note that long term use of the stimulant medications commonly prescribed for ADHD can increase the risk of cardiomyopathy. While the individual odds only increase slightly for a given child after 10 years on these meds, multiplying this rate over the millions of children placed on these drugs across the nation could have a significant impact. Although initial short-term studies did not show a significant change in heart pathology, this long-term study suggests that with 10 years of stimulant use, there is about a 50% increase in cardiomyopathy (a small increase only because the initial chance is so low).
With reports indicating that about 1 in 10 American children between the ages of 3 and 17 are diagnosed with ADHD, the potential for future heart disease is worth noting. While the authors of the study did not think the increased risk warranted changes in prescribing practices, I think parents do deserve to know this. Informed consent requires letting parents know the risks of a medication, especially a risk as significant as cardiomyopathy.
While the full study has not been published, we can read the brief summary released by the American College of Cardiology. It looks like they followed over 12,000 individuals on stimulant medications between the age of 20 and 40 paired with the same number of individuals not on the medications. For those on the medications for 10 years, the rate of cardiomyopathy went from a baseline of 0.53% to 0.72%. This ultimately means that after 10 years, 1 in 500 patients on these meds developed cardiomyopathy that they wouldn’t have without the meds.
We will have to wait for the full report to be published to get a better understanding of their methods and results. At this point, it appears that they are extrapolating from adults to children. I would love to get more information on the effects of children who are on these meds from early ages for a similar 10 years. We know they can affect appetite and growth, as well as presenting other long-term risks. For some children, they do provide a benefit after other therapies have been unsuccessful.
In helping others restore healthier, more abundant lives, we use both natural and conventional therapies which both have potentials for risks and benefits. In caring for others, we should help parents make wise decisions for their children by giving them as much information as we can. If you are considering ADHD stimulants for your children, take this new research into account before starting such a med. It may or may not be worth the risk.
Original Press Release:
ADHD Stimulants May Increase Risk of Heart Damage in Young Adults. American College of Cardiology website. Released March 27, 2024. Accessed December 18, 2024. https://www.acc.org/About-ACC/Press-Releases/2024/03/26/18/35/adhd-stimulants-may-increase-risk-of-heart-damage-in-young-adults
Thanks to Science Daily:
American College of Cardiology. “ADHD stimulants may increase risk of heart damage in young adults, study finds.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 27 March 2024. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240327124756.htm>.
Sanctuary Functional Medicine, under the direction of Dr Eric Potter, IFMCP MD, provides functional medicine services to Nashville, Middle Tennessee and beyond. We frequently treat patients from Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Ohio, Indiana, and more... offering the hope of healthier more abundant lives to those with chronic illness.
