ADHD medication linked to lower risk of suicidal behaviours, study suggests | Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

The hyperactivity drug of attention deficit is linked to a significantly lower risk of suicidal behavior, abuse of substances, transport accidents and crime, according to a study of the wider results of treatment.

Research, based on medical records of nearly 150,000 people in Sweden, suggested that drugs may have significant advantages beyond assistance in basic ADHD symptoms.

Although the study is not a randomized trial – and therefore cannot definitively prove that drugs have caused improved results – this adds to proof of the substantial value of treatment.

“We have found that ADHD medication was associated with significantly reduced rates of the first occurrences of suicidal behavior, abuse of substances, transport and crime accidents,” said Professor Samuele Cortee, psychiatrist and adolescent researcher at the University of Southampton. “Our results should shed light on the debate on the effects and safety of ADHD medication.”

After counting factors such as age, sex, level of education, psychiatric diagnoses and medical history, ADHD drugs were associated with reduced first occurrence rates of four of the five results studied: a 17% reduction for suicidal behavior, 15% for improper use, 12% for transport accidents and 13% for crime.

It is well established that ADHD, supposed to allocate around 5% of children and 2.5% of adults worldwide, is linked to higher rates of mental health problems, including suicide, substance abuse and accidental injuries. People with ADHD are also disproportionately represented in the criminal justice system.

Randomized clinical trials have shown that for many patients, drugs can help alleviate hyperactivity, impulsiveness and inatement. But there has been more limited evidence on the question of whether these improvements translate in advantages in daily life, at a time when the growing number of diagnosed people fueled a debate on the possibility of a “diagnosis”.

The number of prescriptions issued in England for the hyperactivity drugs of the attention deficit (ADHD) increased by 18% over a year from the pandemic.

The latest study, which, according to researchers, is the largest and most rigorous gender, used Swedish national registers from 2007 to 2020 to examine the effects of the drug treatment of ADHD in 148,581 people aged six to 64 with a new diagnosis of ADHD.

The team used a technique called target test emulation, which aims to apply the principles of design of a clinical trial to existing medical files thanks to the use of strict inclusion criteria, monitoring deadlines and the use of statistical techniques to compensate for weapons.

Dr. Zheng Chang, epidemiologist at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm and the main research author, said: “It is now considered one of the most rigorous methods to analyze observation data. However, since we do not have real randomization data, it is not imbued with bias.”

Of the 148,581 people with ADHD (average age of 17 years, 41% of women), 84,282 (57%) began the drug treatment of ADHD, methylphenidate being the most common.

After adjusting the potential confusion factors, those who took medication had a reduced risk of first occurrence of suicidal behavior, abuse of substance, transport accidents and crime, although there was no significant reduction in the risk for first occurrence of accidental injuries. Among people with recurring events, there have been statistically significant reductions linked to the five results, the British Medical Journal document reports.

“When clinicians discuss the possible use of drugs with families, there is often no focus on risks if you do not treat,” said Cortese. “If he is not treated, there will unfortunately be a certain risk. We now have evidence that drugs can reduce this risk. ”

Professor Adam Guastella, of the Westmead Clinical School Children’s Hospital of the University of Sydney, said: “Such advantages have been shown several times in previous studies, but the large size of the sample, the use of a national register and a more sophisticated analysis give greater confidence in these results than the results are not explained by something other than the use of drugs.

“People should know that if ADHD medication work for them and their child, there will probably be many other positive impacts on life from treatment. Such effects will not work for everyone and it is always necessary to understand why many people benefit from ADHD drugs and some do not do so. ”