ADHD Drug Use Soars

If you've been following this blog or have spent any time on the ADHD Help Center website, you probably have heard me talking about the over-prescribing of ADHD drugs. Here's proof of that fact;

According to figures for the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development countries, the prescribing of ADHD drugs has nearly tripled between the years 1993 and 2003. With such a drastic rise in ADHD drug use, ADHD is on its way to become the leading childhood disorder treated with medications worldwide.

The amount spent on ADHD medication across the OECD increased ninefold, with 83% of that in the US. In 2003 the US spend $2.4 billion on ADHD drugs. The OECD includes the US, Ireland and many European countries.

So here's the question; Do you think that the incidence of ADHD has dramatically increased or do you think ADHD is simply the "in" disorder of this past decade? I am curious as to what all of you readers think. Let me know.

Parenting and ADHD

I know the subject of parenting and ADHD is a touchy subject. After all, we've been blamed enough for our ADHD child's poor behavior. So, please, don't shoot the messenger. I am only reporting on a study that looks at the role of parenting and ADHD...

"A mother's depression predicts whether children with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) will develop conduct problems such as lying, fighting, bullying and stealing, according to a new study from a University of Maryland researcher. The study, published in the January 2007 issue of the American Psychological Association's journal, "Developmental Psychology," also found that early positive parenting during the preschool years predicted fewer conduct problems as the children grew to early adolescence. The strength of the findings led the researchers to conclude that maternal depression may be a risk factor, whereas positive parenting may be a protective factor.

"This research gives us clear targets for early intervention to prevent conduct problems in children with ADHD," says Andrea Chronis, director of the University of Maryland ADHD Program and professor of psychology who served as lead author on the paper. "In the real world, this could have important implications..."

DMAE - Great for the Brain and Great for Wrinkles

DMAE (dimethylaminoethanol), with its ability to stabilize cell membranes that contribute to increased memory and healthier brain activity, is proven to boost memory and reduce the symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). That is a commonly known fact.

DMAE`s skin-firming benefits are less known. DMAE is shown to also provide skin tightening and facial lifting qualities. The results are often noticeable, not dramatic, but DNAE can slow the development of facial sagging as you age.

Armed with this new information, many skin care companies are now offering DMAE creams, though these creams are currently quite pricey due to the lack of market competition.

An alternative exists, especially if you have Attention Deficit Disorder and want to firm sagging skin. To get the two-for-one benefit of DMAE, use Attend, which contains 16.7 mg of DMAE per eevery two capsules!

A Brief But Important Review of ADHD Medications

In May 2006, Health Canada issued warnings on all ADHD medications that included heart risks and sudden death. Should the US do the same

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in May 2006, that side effects and other problems with prescription stimulants used for ADHD send on average 3,100 people to the emergency room each year - 80 percent of which are children. Problems most associated with ADHD medications include overdosing or accidental use causing side effects that include chest pain, high blood pressure, rapid heart beat, stroke and sudden death.

The FDA linked 25 deaths to ADHD drugs between 1999 and 2003; 19 were children. Also there were 54 cases reported of serious heart problems that included strokes and heart attacks.

In 2005 the FDA reported that children taking stimulants are at an increased risk of serious psychiatric adverse effects including psychosis or mania accompanied by hallucinations. The FDA Pediatric Advisory Committee recommended that a Medication Guide describing the potential psychiatric adverse effects and cardiovascular risks be provided when the medications are dispensed.

It should be noted that anyone showing signs of acute unexpected behavioural reactions, hallucinations, or increased aggression should discontinue the medication immediately. We highly recommend looking to effective naturasl supplements like Attend to avoid the dangers associated with ADHD drugs.

Are ADHD Medications Really Effective?

Spending on ADHD drugs soared from $759 million in 2000 to $3.1 billion in 2004 yet there are no studies that prove the long-term effectiveness of amphetamine drugs in helping people adapt or adjust to life with ADHD. With this widespread use of amphetamines and the risks associated with these drugs, shouldn't there be strong evidence proving that these drugs truly work in the long run?

ADHD medications do reduce the major symptoms of ADHD such as distractibility, impulsiveness and restlessness. People using stimulant medications need to question whether the symptoms are severe enough to justify the potential serious side effects.

Statistics show that ADHD drugs send 3,100 people to the emergency room every year. Of those, 80 percent are children. Additionally, the FDA linked 25 deaths to ADHD drugs between 1999 and 2003 - 19 of which were children. There have also been 54 cases of serious heart problems reported including strokes and heart attacks.

Major side effects may be rare, percentage-wise, but the use of ADHD drugs certainly is not. Many believe that different alternatives should be looked into as possible interventions. ADHD drugs may offer a quick fix, but do the benefits of that outweigh the possible dangers and misuse that can and do occur?

Parents need to be informed about the risks versus the benefits that these stimulants carry for their children and ask themselves; "Are these medications justifiable or even desirable?"

Depression- Nuture vs. Nature?

New research, published in the journal "Biological Psychiatry", suggests that a supportive and loving home life can be all that's needed to override the genetic vulnerability to depression.

The study found that those who carry a version of the serotonin transporter gene, 5-HTTLPR, are more susceptible to depression than people without this gene variant, but only in gene carriers who grew up in a stressful home environment. In contrast, young adult gene carriers who had a supportive and warm family had a reduced risk of depression.

Of the 118 young adults in the study, 27 percent carried two copies of the short form of 5-HTTLPR. A similar percentage had two long versions of the gene, and the rest of the adults carried one copy of each version. Those who carried the two short forms had a higher risk of depression if they reported having a dysfunctional family life marked by hostility, conflict and coldness. Those who grew up with a nurturing family had a lower risk of depression.

In the development of depression, these findings point to the importance of nature vs. nurture. Researchers believe that a strong family life can be enough to reverse the effects of this risk factor and that a dysfunctional family life can create stress that sends genetically vulnerable people into depression.

This study indicates that those with a family history of depression need not worry as long as they have a family with a strong support system in place and are there for you during the tough times.

Reactions to Prescription Drugs

A recent study from the Journal of the American Medical Association found that over 700,000 people go to the emergency room each year due to dangerous and harmful reactions to prescription drugs.

The most frequent causes were accidental overdoses and allergic reactions. Pharmacists stress that people need to ask questions and get information about the prescribed drugs before getting them.

Why Are Preschoolers Given Ritalin?

Ritalin, a popular ADD drug, is given to increasing numbers of preschoolers these days. A big problem is that the drug is not recommended for anyone under the age of six.

The first long-term government study for the preschool age group indicates that, although Ritalin may help children with severe cases of ADD, preschoolers need to be monitored very closely. Children under the age of 6 are more likely to develop serious side effects than older children.

This study, conducted in response to soaring numbers of very young children prescribed psychiatric drugs, appeared in the November edition of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

Many of the originally 300 families enrolled dropped out after the first phase of the study. During the 70-week study, over 50 percent of the children dropped out due to side effects ranging from irritability, weight loss, insomnia, and slowed growth rate.

Drug Abuse Among the College Crowd

Recreational use of prescription drugs is becoming commonplace on college campuses and many students don't see the use or selling stimulants, painkillers, or even sleep aids as illegal or harmful.

Adderall, a stimulant drug to treat ADD, is becoming the most popular drug to help students pull all-nighters to get their work done. Misuse of any drug is dangerous and can end up being extremely harmful or deadly. The sad side is that many students believe no harm will come to them and do not recognize that using medications that are not prescribed to them, or misuse medications prescribed to them is a felony offense.

Students Abusing Drugs

There's a growing problem with Adderall drug abuse, especially among high school honor students who are not abusing the drug to get high but to enable them to get better grades.

The pressure to succeed academically is simply too stressfull for some students. These students something that will help them increase their attention span and improve their ability to follow directions.

With the growing problem with "study enhancement" drug use, experts are beefing up their efforts to make students realize the dangers involved in using amphetamines. Using Adderall without a doctor's consent or taking Adderall at higher doses can increase blood pressure and heart rate, produce heart arrhythmias and, even worse, cause a stroke, heart attack or death.

Is It ADD or Are You Just Busy?

Adult ADD is not an onset condition. The condition was either undiagnosed as a child, or the symptoms currently experienced as an adult are not ADD. If you are impatient, easily distracted, impulsive or are overbooked, your problem could be ADD or just a normal reaction to multitasking. A person who can't remember where they put the keys does not necessarily have dementia. Someone who has trouble paying attention does not necessarily have ADD.

A fine line exists between adult ADD or just plain old busy lifestyles and multi-tasking. In today's multisensory culture that also supports distractiveness, people have to question the cause of the problem. Whether the problem is ADD or a busy lifestyle, great ways to help relieve symptoms are having some quiet time, exercising, using homeopathic remedies, and even meditation.

Ways to Beat Stress

Had a rough day and need to find a way to relax? Here are a few stress busters to help give you relief.
-Get some exercise. Taking a long walk or a brisk run will help.
-Go to a bookstore and thumb through some books while enjoying a hot cup of cocoa.
-Find some of your favorite music to play, then dance and sing along.
-Visit a quiet place such as a museum or art gallery.
-With your feet propped up, enjoy some daydreaming.
-To help you get a good nights sleep, soak in a hot tub filled with chamomile.

Eat Your Veggies

New research shows that eating vegetables keeps your brain young and slows mental decline often associated with aging. In a study of almost 2,000 people, researchers found that older people who ate more than two servings of veggies a day appeared five years younger at the end of the six year study compared to those who ate few or no vegetables. Vitamin E-rich kale, spinach and collards ranked as the most beneficial vegetables. Vitamin E is a powerful free-radical fighting antioxidant.

Free Therapy for Depression

Numerous studies show that exercise is as effective in the fight with depression as medication or psychotherapy. Although exercise is a free, healthy and safe alternative, exercise is often a neglected method to managing depression.

Ask your doctor for a referral to an exercise physiologist who can address depression and a range of other chronic conditions. You can get fit and feel better at the same time. It's a two-fer bonus!

Labels Must Carry Warnings!

Canadian health authorities are following U.S. health officials suit demanding warnings on ADHD medications. The FDA requires that stimulant ADHD medications carry new warning information to alert parents and users to the risk of heart problems, sudden death and psychotic behavior. While some doctors believe the new warnings could slow the use of these medicines, others believe ADHD prescriptions are unnecessary and overused.

ADHD Drugs-It's All in the Family

If someone is in your household takes an ADHD medication, the likelihood of other family members taking ADHD drugs is quite high. A recently released Medco Health Solutions study confirmed what doctors have long known - ADD runs in the family.

Medco, a prescription benefits manager, based this study on an analysis of 107,000 prescription claims filed in 2005 of parents and their children ages 5-19. The study shows that parents of children taking ADHD drugs are nine times more likely to use ADHD drugs themselves. If a second child is present, that child is most likely on medication too.

Many doctors have long seen how ADHD runs in the family, and now these findings support the doctors beliefs. The study carries a few surprises as well. Adult ADHD medication use traditionally began after the child began taking ADHD medications. Parents, looking at their child's symptoms, realized they have the same symptoms and then sought treatment.

According to the study, out of nearly half of those taking ADHD medicine in 2005, the parent started taking medication first, followed by the child. Although ADHD is two to three times more common in males than females, in households where both parent and child are taking the drugs, 60% of the time Mom is on medication rather than Dad. Medco reported from 2000-2004 the use of drugs rose twice as fast among adults than children and had a higher rate among women than men.

The study also found that among children on medication, seven percent had a parent using the medicine. Also, if a twin is on an ADHD drug, there's a 25 percent chance the other is too. The statistics rose to 33 percent if both twins were male.

Experts believe ADHD symptoms become obvious when children reach 13 or are in middle and high school. For adults, the average age of starting medication is 43.

The FDA Says "No" To Modanfinil

Potentially fatal side effects stopped the proposed ADHD drug Modafinil from reaching FDA approval. Modafinil contains the same active ingredient as Provigil, an FDA-approved drug used to boost wakefulness and focus for adults with excessive sleepiness and narcolepsy.

Some doctors currently prescribe Provigil for Attention Deficit Disorder. If your child currently takes Provigil for ADHD, note that a recent study of the drug showed that one in 933 children developed a life-threatening skin condition.

Please speak to your health care provider about a safer treatment for ADHD. Or, consider using Attend, which is shown to be as effective as current ADHD medications but does not pose negative side effects.

The Power of Marketing

Allowing drugmakers to market ADHD drugs straight to the consumer spurred a 250 percent increase in psychotropic drugs in teens, a new study found.

Prior to 1994, drugmakers were not allowed to direct-to-consumer market psychotropic drugs. The federal government lifted the ban and the drug use floodgates opened.

According to a new Brandeis University study, published in the journal of Psychiatric Services, prescriptions of psychotropic drugs for teens increased 250% between 1994 and 2001.

By 2001, one in every ten office visits by teenage boys led to a prescription. Also, a diagnosis of ADHD was given in about one-third of the office visits that occurred during the study period. Furthermore, psychotropic drugs were prescribed without a mental health diagnosis in 14 to 26 percent of doctor visits.

This dramatic drug use increase occurred despite the fact that few of these psychotropic drugs are approved for children under 18. Researchers say that this trend needs further investigation.

ADHD Medicines Price-Gouging

The Patented Medicine Prices Review Board is investigating the makers of Concerta and Adderall XR for price gouging after a review that shows these drugmakers charge consumers 115 to 445 percent above the maximum level set for ADHD drugs.

Both Concerta and Adderall XR are once-daily time-released drugs. While the manufacturers claim the drugs are an improvement to Ritalin and Dexedrine, the review board believes prices should be the same unless Concerta and Adderall XR are considered a breakthrough or have a substantial improvement on existing treatments.

Compare Concerta and Ritalin, which have the same identical active ingredient; Concerta costs range from $1.98 to $3.20 per capsule while Ritalin costs range from .50 cents to $1.45 per capsule. Monthly, Concerta can cost anywhere from $61.38 to $96 while Ritalin can cost $15.50 to $44.95.

For many families, especially those without insurance coverage, the costs of these new drugs can be overwhelming. Due to the strong genetic component to the disorder, there are many families who have more than one child on medication, causing monthly prescription bills to run into hundreds of dollars.

It would be remiss not to mention that Attend, a once daily ADHD treatment that is shown to be as effective as Ritalin and Concerta, costs just $35.95 monthly. In addition to the health and wellness benefit of Attend, Attend is also a cost-effective way to treat ADHD symptoms.

Attend also comes with a 100 percent money-back guarantee. Just try getting your money back from the pharmacist if Concerta or Ritalin do not work to reduce ADHD symptoms!

Should You Treat Depression During Pregnancy?

Whether or not to treat depression while pregnant with prescription anti-depressants is a complex question. Women and their doctors must consider the benefits to mother while weighing the risks to mom and her unborn child.

Two new studies provide information regarding depression and pregnancy, but make the decision no easier.

The first study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that women who stopped taking prescription antidepressants were five times more likely to relapse into depression during pregnancy then women who continued taking antidepressants.

However, a second study shed light to a serious health danger to babies born of mothers who took antidepressants during pregnancy. This study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, showed that women taking antidepressant drugs during pregnancy were six times more likely to have babies with persistent pulmonary hypertension. Persistent pulmonary hypertension is a life-threatening lung condition that prevents babies from getting enough oxygen into their bloodstream.

Most everything a woman takes during pregnancy will make its way to baby. If a woman can manage through pregnancy without the use of pharmaceutical drugs, baby will be better off. If the depression is too serious to avoid intervention, please speak to your doctor about natural alternatives like Deprex. Natural alternatives can be much healthier for mother and baby than using antidepressant drugs. As always, women should discuss all medications and supplements used during pregnancy.