Ritalin Users Urged to get Heart Checked
Saturday, May 3rd, 2008Ritalin has been used for ADHD treatment for many years and, in that time, has been linked to all types of medical disorders from suicide to heart concerns in adults and teens.
Now, it appears that Ritalin and other medications in its family are being linked to heart problems in younger children. The American Heart Association says that Ritalin type medications raise blood pressure and that kids taking it can be subject to sudden cardiac arrest.
Studies have shown cardiac arrest in 19 children, and on top of that over 25 kids have had strokes and other heart ailments.
Estimates place school-aged children that have ADHD between 4 and 12 percent in the United States alone, and the industry is a $5 billion cash cow for pharmaceutical manufacturers every year. Using a stimulant can help focus ADHD sufferers and keep their emotions in check, but it appears there can be a high price to pay when using Ritalin.
http://technews.iit.edu/index.php?id=1044
Source: IIT.edu
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