19 Jun Study Finds No Increase In Suicide Events With ADHD Drug Treatments

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Dr. Henrik Larsson PhD
Associate Professor
Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Karolinska Institute
Stockholm, Sweden

MedicalResearch: What are the main findings of the study?

Dr. Larrson: We found no evidence for an overall increased rate of suicide related events associated with the use of stimulant or non-stimulant drug treatment for ADHD. If anything, the results pointed to a potential protective effect of drugs for ADHD on suicidal behaviour, particularly for stimulant drugs.

MedicalResearch: Were any of the findings unexpected?

Dr. Larrson: ADHD medications influence the core symptoms of ADHD such as impulsivity which in turn is a well-established risk factor for suicidal behavior, thus, pointing at a potential protective effect of ADHD medications.

MedicalResearch: What should clinicians and patients take away from your report?

Dr. Larrson: Our study found no evidence for a harmful effect of ADHD drug treatment on suicidal behaviour irrespective of whether the drug was stimulant or non-stimulant.

MedicalResearch: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?

Dr. Larrson: The observed protective effect of stimulant drugs on suicidal behaviour among ADHD patients who received only stimulant drugs needs further investigation.

Citation:

Last Updated on November 10, 2014 by Marie Benz MD FAAD