The most commonly reported adverse cardiovascular effects are elevated blood pressure and heart rate, seen in both short-and long-term treatment trials. This rise is generally thought to be statistically but not clinically significant (7). It has been suggested that there is the potential risk that chronically and consistently elevated blood pressure and heart rate could contribute to later cardiovascular morbidity. Thus, it may be prudent to undertake ongoing blood pressure and heart rate monitoring for children who are on stimulants (8,9). Notably, the patient denied alcohol consumption and illicit drug use, which ruled out toxic cardiomyopathy.

If you’re an adult with ADHD, it may be safe to take it every day but that depends on several factors. The American College of Cardiology (ACC) is the global leader in transforming cardiovascular care and improving heart health for all. The FDA has also warned that there’s a slight risk that stimulant ADHD drugs could lead to mood swings or symptoms of psychosis — like hearing things and paranoia.

ADHD Stimulants May Increase Risk of Heart Damage in Young Adults

Abnormalities described included aberrant origin of coronary arteries, idiopathic hypertrophic subaortic stenosis, bicuspid aortic valve and cardiac hypertrophy. It has been postulated that these anomalies could potentially be adversely affected by stimulant drugs. That’s because Adderall increases blood pressure and heart rate, putting users at risk of cardiovascular damage. Unfortunately, few people realize the dangers of excessive Adderall usage until it’s too late. Additionally, another study presented at the ACC’s Annual Scientific Session examined the impact of prolonged Adderall use on cardiomyopathy.

What You Should Know About Adderall and Heart Problems

• Typically, it is initially treated with behavioral therapy, which may be combined with stimulant or non-stimulant medications to help control behaviors that interfere with daily life activity.
• Furthermore, a normal coronary angiogram ruled out ischemic cardiomyopathy, and the absence of a family history of heart disease helped exclude genetic heart conditions.
• However, researchers said that the overall risk of cardiomyopathy remained relatively low even when stimulants were used long-term.
• There are inconsistent findings to whether the side effects of Adderall are dose related.

Let them know if you’re taking other medicines or supplements. Talk to your doctor honestly about your past or current drug abuse. If you don’t have a history of substance abuse, it’s unlikely you’ll go down that road. But if you do, you could be at risk for misusing your ADHD drugs.

Understanding Adderall: A Stimulant for ADHD

• Abnormalities described included aberrant origin of coronary arteries, idiopathic hypertrophic subaortic stenosis, bicuspid aortic valve and cardiac hypertrophy.
• But ADHD drug doses are too low for anyone to feel a “high” or to become addicted.
• Diminished myocardial perfusion can ultimately lead to ischemic cardiomyopathy and heart failure.
• After being prescribed stimulants for 10 years, 0.72% (less than three-quarters of one percent) of patients developed cardiomyopathy, compared with 0.53% (a little over half of one percent) among those who were not prescribed stimulants.
• Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in children and can continue into adulthood.

Because of its stimulant effects, people use this amphetamine drug to stay up all night and prepare for exams or to increase their energy in the gym. Adderall has various side effects, ranging from mild to severe. Left heart catheterization revealed normal coronary vessels.

Adderall Withdrawal Side Effects

This is a particular problem if you have high blood pressure or an abnormal heart rhythm such as atrial fibrillation. If you don’t have any heart problems, Adderall is unlikely to give you one. Even without a perfect heart, you may still be able to take Adderall Adderall Heart Risks for ADHD.

Over time, this may contribute to left ventricular hypertrophy, dilated cardiomyopathy, and heart failure 2,3. Most previous studies assessing the safety of stimulant medications have focused on the first year or two of use and found no evidence of harm to the heart. Since many patients are prescribed these medications in early childhood and continue taking them into adulthood, this new study was designed to assess their potential to cause harm over a longer period of time, Gerard said. Cardiomyopathy involves structural changes in the heart muscle that weaken its pumping ability.

You’ll notice this feeling more if you’re taking the drug and you don’t have ADHD or narcolepsy. You’ll need larger and larger quantities of Adderall to keep that euphoric feeling going. Exposure to the amount of amphetamine in Adderall can be higher for women and people assigned female at birth (AFAB). This is because women and people AFAB tend to weigh less than men and those assigned male at birth (AMAB). When doses were not based on body mass, the amount of one amphetamine type in Adderall that a woman processed was 20%-30% more than a man processed. When the dose was adjusted for body mass, the amount of amphetamine processed for men and women was the same.

Your child may have side effects while the drug is active in their body — as little as 3 hours for some immediate-release stimulants and up to 24 hours for some extended-release non-stimulants. The outcome varies depending on the extent of heart damage and how early the condition is detected and treated. Some patients may recover partially or fully if Adderall is discontinued early, while others may experience permanent heart dysfunction 11,12.

Adderall Side Effects on Mental Health

They might crush the pills and snort them to get high, which can lead to a dangerous overdose. Stimulants boost the level of a chemical called dopamine in your brain to help you focus. But ADHD drug doses are too low for anyone to feel a “high” or to become addicted.

However, it is also frequently misused by adolescents and young adults without ADHD in an attempt to enhance academic performance, often without awareness of the potential risks 3. There are inconsistent findings to whether the side effects of Adderall are dose related. The overall incidence of adverse effects is low and comparable with other stimulants (4).

Take the 2-minute quiz to discover how your brain naturally processes stress, focus, and recovery — and get personalized strategies to strengthen your mental resilience. Adderall is a preparation of mixed amphetamine salts indicated for the treatment of ADHD. Gerard said that it could also be helpful to study potential differences among different types of ADHD medications and different types of cardiomyopathies. Once you start taking your ADHD medicine, see your doctor for regular checkups to make sure you aren’t having any bad side effects.