{"id":5410,"date":"2026-03-30T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-30T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cchrstl.org\/wordpress\/?p=5410"},"modified":"2026-03-27T12:39:48","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T17:39:48","slug":"new-research-finds-increased-cardiovascular-risks-from-taking-even-a-single-dose-of-someone-elses-prescription-stimulant","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cchrstl.org\/wordpress\/2026\/03\/30\/new-research-finds-increased-cardiovascular-risks-from-taking-even-a-single-dose-of-someone-elses-prescription-stimulant\/","title":{"rendered":"New Research Finds Increased Cardiovascular Risks from Taking Even a Single Dose of Someone Else\u2019s Prescription Stimulant"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

New study addresses the increasing number of students taking stimulant drugs without a prescription, hoping for enhanced cognitive performance, though recent research has not found improvement\u00a0in cognitive ability or academic performance from using stimulants.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

by\u00a0\u00a0CCHR National Affairs Office<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In response to the increasing misuse and diversion of stimulants prescribed for so-called attention-deficit\/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a new study reports that a single dose of Adderall consumed for occasional or recreational use can have acute cardiovascular effects. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAn increasing number of high school and college students are taking Adderall without prescription, abusing these drugs for both cognitive enhancement and recreational use to enhance performance in tests and sports, respectively,\u201d  wrote<\/a>  researcher Anna Svatikova, M.D., Ph.D., of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.  \u201cThere are a myriad of adverse effects from Adderall consumption\u2026.  Sudden cardiac death, cardiomyopathy, stroke, and myocardial infarction due to Adderall consumption have been documented in individual case reports.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The new  study<\/a>  was designed to replicate the conditions of college students who use Adderall without a prescription.  It assessed the results of giving 29 healthy young adults who were not stimulant users either a single 25 mg Adderall pill \u2013 less than half of the average 60 mg dose given to adult patients for \u201cADHD\u201d but more than the typical 10 mg starting dose \u2013 or a placebo on the first day.  Roughly 10 days later, they were given the other pill.  Blood pressure and heart rate were measured before and three hours after administration of the drug or placebo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The results three hours later were significant increases in blood pressure and heart rate in the participants given Adderall.  Resting systolic blood pressure rose from 116 to 126, diastolic blood pressure from 72 to 78, and heart rate from 60 to 70 beats per minute \u2013 outcomes characterized by the researchers as \u201cstriking results\u201d in participants at rest three hours later.  No such increases occurred when participants were given placebos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The higher measures could potentially increase the risk of more serious cardiovascular outcomes, as well as point to an explanation for the increased emergency room visits associated with the misuse of Adderall, the study suggests.  The cardiovascular results could be even worse if energy drinks are consumed at the same time as Adderall to stay awake.  The  study<\/a>  was recently published in  Mayo Clinic Proceedings<\/em>, along with an editorial drawing attention to the study results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The number of American children and adults given a diagnosis of so-called attention-deficit\/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has soared over the six decades since psychologist Keith Connors, \u201cthe father of ADHD,\u201d first coined the term for inattentive, impulsive or restless behavior.  Since there is no exact scientific basis for a \u201cdiagnosis\u201d of ADHD, determinations of this \u201cpsychiatric disorder\u201d became rampant, leading Connors ultimately to  declare<\/a>  that the overdiagnosis of ADHD was \u201can epidemic of tragic proportions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Currently, 1 in 9 American children (11.4%) under the age of 18 has received a \u201cdiagnosis\u201d of ADHD, according to 2022 data from a national survey of parents.  That translates to an estimated 7 million<\/a> school-age children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rising right alongside the widespread \u201cdiagnosis\u201d of ADHD is the steadily increasing number of prescriptions for drugs as treatment. Currently, 90%<\/a> of prescriptions for ADHD treatment are for stimulants.  Prescription stimulants include Adderall, Ritalin, Concerta, and Dexedrine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The overdiagnosis of ADHD and surge in prescriptions of stimulants is the result of sophisticated, multi-decade marketing by drug manufacturers, which broadened the perception of ADHD to include relatively normal behavior like carelessness or impatience, according to a 2013 investigation<\/a>  by the  New York Times.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe rise of ADHD diagnoses and prescriptions for stimulants over the years coincided with a remarkably successful two-decade campaign by pharmaceutical companies to publicize the syndrome and promote the pills to doctors, educators and parents,\u201d  Times<\/em>  reporter Alan Schwarz wrote<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stimulants prescriptions continue to rise.  From 2012 to 2023, the total number of Americans prescribed stimulants increased by 48%, from 11.1 million to 16.5 million, with the largest yearly increase (18%) in 2022-23, according to a report<\/a> prepared for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).  For the first time, nurse practitioners were the top prescribers, followed by psychiatrists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The DEA report reveals that adults are now the fastest-growing segment of stimulant prescriptions, as \u201cdiagnosis\u201d of \u201cadult ADHD\u201d becomes more prevalent. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFrom 2012 to 2023, stimulant prescriptions for patients aged 31-40 increased by 240%; at over 18 million, they are now the largest single age group for stimulants prescriptions,\u201d the DEA\u2019s report discloses.  Prescriptions also increased by 164% for patients aged 41-50, by 161% for ages 61-70, and by 516% for ages 71-80.  The only decline was a 19% decrease in stimulant prescriptions for children aged 0-10.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stimulants are classified as Schedule II controlled substances<\/a>, in the same category as cocaine, methamphetamine (meth), oxycodone (OxyContin), and fentanyl because of their high potential for misuse, abuse, physical and psychological dependence, addiction, overdose, and diversion<\/a>.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The illegal diversion of prescribed stimulant drugs from patients to others, particularly among children and young adults, is a pressing problem.   Studies<\/a>  have found that a range of 16% to 29% of students from grade school through college were asked to give or sell their prescribed stimulants. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether taking a stimulant really leads to any cognitive advantage is questionable.  Recent studies have found  no improvement<\/a> in cognitive ability or academic performance and no convincing evidence<\/a> of any long-term benefit to children from taking stimulant drugs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In response to the misuse and overdose problems with prescription stimulants, the FDA awarded a grant to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine in 2023 to research and reconsider the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD.  The research is expected to be used in developing alternatives<\/a> to prescription stimulants as treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The content on this site is for informational purposes only and is not intended to substitute for personal medical advice given by a physician or other qualified healthcare provider.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anyone wishing to discontinue or change the dose of a prescription stimulant or other psychiatric drug is cautioned to do so only under the supervision of a physician because of potentially dangerous withdrawal symptoms or other complications.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

New study addresses the increasing number of students taking stimulant drugs without a prescription, hoping for enhanced cognitive performance, though recent research has not found improvement\u00a0in cognitive ability or academic performance from using stimulants. Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"New study addresses the increasing number of students taking stimulant drugs without a prescription, hoping for enhanced cognitive performance, though recent research has not found improvement\u00a0in cognitive ability or academic performance from using stimulants.","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[2],"tags":[189,35,34,237,231,36,214],"class_list":["post-5410","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-big-muddy-river-newsletter","tag-adderall","tag-adhd","tag-alternatives","tag-cardiac-death","tag-cardiovascular-disease","tag-side-effects","tag-stimulants"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6NMpC-1pg","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cchrstl.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5410","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cchrstl.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cchrstl.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cchrstl.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cchrstl.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5410"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.cchrstl.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5410\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cchrstl.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5410"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cchrstl.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5410"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cchrstl.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5410"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}