Kids starting drugs such as Ritalin, Adderall and Concerta for Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) need a complete heart exam including an electrocardiogram, urges a new recommendation from the Dallas-based American Heart Association (AHA).
Label warnings were added to these drugs recently after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found reports of 19 sudden deaths in children treated with ADHD drugs, as well as other problems including strokes and fast heart rates, between 1999 and 2003.
For most children, stimulant drugs that can increase blood pressure and heart rate don’t cause any health problems. For those with heart conditions, though, the drugs could cause erratic heartbeats or even cardiac arrest.
