Researchers Examine Correlation Between Blood Pressure And Heart Rate Variability
Archives
All entries, chronologically...
In the first study of its kind, researchers at Queens College and Mount Sinai School of Medicine have found that low socioeconomic status (SES) and maternal gestational diabetes together may cause a 14-fold increased risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in six year olds. The data are published in the January issue of theArchives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Although there have been cardiovascular safety concerns about attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medications because of their ability to increase heart rate and blood pressure levels, an analysis that included more than 150,000 ADHD users found no evidence of an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, or sudden cardiac death associated with current use compared with non-use or rare-use among young and middle-aged adults, according to a study appearing in JAMA. The study is being released early online because of its public health importance. Included in this report is a video summary of the study results.
Pediatric researchers analyzing genetic influences in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have found alterations in specific genes involved in important brain signaling pathways. The study raises the possibility that drugs acting on those pathways might offer a new treatment option for patients with ADHD who have those gene variants – potentially, half a million U.S. children.
A study of more than 400 children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has found a link between the children’s routine play settings and the severity of their symptoms, researchers report. Those who regularly play in outdoor settings with lots of green (grass and trees, for example) have milder ADHD symptoms than those who play indoors or in built outdoor environments, the researchers found. The association holds even when the researchers controlled for income and other variables. Included in this report is a link to download a free copy of the full text, original study.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) medications do not increase the risk for heart disease or heart attack in children and young adults, according to a Vanderbilt study of 1.2 million patients taking drugs including Ritalin, Adderall, Concerta, and Strattera between 1998 and 2005. The study, published online today by the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) and authored by William Cooper, M.D., MPH, a Vanderbilt Professor of Pediatrics and Preventive Medicine, is the largest ever to examine potential risks posed by drugs to treat ADHD.
Updated guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) offer new information on diagnosing and treating Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in younger children and in adolescents. Emerging evidence makes it possible to diagnose and manage ADHD in children from ages 4 to 18 (the previous AAP guidelines, from 2000 and 2001, covered children ages 6 to 12).
Medication in the form of psychostimulants is a standard treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). ADHD, marked by extreme inattentiveness, impulsivity, and hyperactivity, is diagnosed in almost eight percent of U.S. children, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2005). Although medical practitioners often prescribe psychostimulants, parents’ attitudes will largely determine whether or not the child receives the medication and is compliant over time.
Susan, even at age 33, cannot sit still. She never could. Pegged by her teachers as the resident “problem child,” she spent most of her afternoons in detention for disrupting class and forgetting her homework assignments. As an adult, she still struggles to meet her work deadlines, and she has to fight the insatiable urge to dart out of meetings.
Chronic use of stimulant medication to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children does not appear to increase risk for high blood pressure over the long term, but it may have modest effects on heart rate, according to follow-up data from the NIMH-funded Multimodal Treatment Study of Children with ADHD (MTA). The study was published online ahead of print Sept 2, 2011, in the American Journal of Psychiatry.
New research from the University of Montreal shows that inattention, rather than hyperactivity, is the most important indicator when it comes to finishing a high school education. “Children with attention problems need preventative intervention early in their development,” explained lead author Dr. Jean-Baptiste Pingault, who is also affiliated with Sainte-Justine Mother and Child University Hospital. The researchers came to their conclusion after looking at data collected from the parents and teachers of 2000 children over a period of almost twenty years.
