ADD drugs to finally get warnings
The drugs used to treat ADD (aka ADHD) (1%-2% of north american kids are prescribed one) are (finally!) going to get warnings about cardiac and psychiatric risks in the US; Canada isued a warning last May. These drugs are known colloquially as "speed" [wikipedia].
"Medicines approved for the treatment of ADHD have real benefits for many patients but they may have serious risks as well," said Steven Galson, M.D [..]
In a study of otherwise healthy adults with ADHD who took amphetamine mixed salts extended-release formulations in doses of 20 to 60 mg a day for up to two years, Joseph Biederman, M.D., and colleagues at Harvard Medical School observed significant mean increases from baseline in diastolic and systolic blood pressure, and pulse at the QTc interval, although these changes were deemed not clinically significant. But seven of the 223 patients in the study discontinued the ADHD drugs, five because of hypertension, and two because of tachycardia.
In addition cardiovascular adverse events, drugs for ADHD have been associated with auditory hallucination, paranoia, and manic episodes, even in patients with no prior history of psychiatric problems, the agency reported.
Health Canada
Patients taking drugs for the management of ADHD are being advised not to discontinue their medication without consultation with their physician.
At least one drug (Adderall XR) has been pulled by Health Canada [CBC] after (at least) 20 sudden deaths.
What is more shoking is that nobody thought to consider that the mass prescription of amphetamine stimulants might maaaaybe have some sort of effect on peole's hearts...