Blood Pressure Changes Associated With Medication Treatment of Adults With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Objective: To evaluate the effects of medications used in the treatment of adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) on blood pressure and pulse. Method: Subjects were those with DSM-III-R-/DSM-IV-diagnosed ADHD enrolled in placebo-controlled studies of 5 different medications for ADHD. Cardiovascular data from these studies of both stimulants (methylphenidate, amphetamine compounds, pemoline) and nonstimulants (bupropion, desipramine) were reanalyzed for baseline-to-endpoint active-treatment or placebo effects on blood pressure and heart rate. Results: There were 125 subjects with a mean ′ SD age of 39 ′ 9 years. In general, active drug treatment for ADHD compared to baseline was associated with several statistically significant changes in systolic blood pressure (bupropion: +5.9 mm Hg, p