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Ritalin puts some at risk, group says
Ritalin puts some at risk, group says

By The Associated Press Comments 0
Published: April 22, 2008

NEW YORK — Children should be screened for heart problems with an electrocardiogram before getting drugs like Ritalin to treat hyperactivity and attention-deficit disorder, the American Heart Association recommended Monday.

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Health briefs

Screening may evolve

New research suggests a test for the human papilloma virus that causes cervical cancer may replace the old-fashioned Pap one day as that cancer's primary screening tool. For now, a trend is the Pap-plus — both a Pap and an HPV test — to improve screening accuracy. An extra twist: The HPV test also may prove especially useful in poor countries, where cervical cancer still strikes hundreds of thousands of women who have no access to repeat Paps. Cervical cancer is expected to strike just over 11,000 U.S. women this year.

Drug maker questioned

The Chinese manufacturer of a heparin ingredient does not have adequate systems for ensuring the raw materials it uses are safe and that any impurities are removed, the Food and Drug Administration said Monday. Until it complies, the agency will recommend disapproval of any new applications listing the company as the manufacturer of any active pharmaceutical ingredient.

Stimulant drugs can increase blood pressure and heart rate. In children with heart conditions, it could make them more vulnerable to sudden cardiac arrest and other heart problems.

The heart group now recommends a thorough exam, including a family history and an EKG, before children are put on the drugs to make sure that they don't have any undiagnosed heart issues.

"We don't want to keep children who have this from being treated. We want to do it as safely as possible,” said Dr. Victoria Vetter, a pediatric cardiologist at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and head of the committee making the recommendation.

But Dr. Steven Pliszka, a child psychiatrist at the University of Texas in San Antonio, said he was baffled by the EKG recommendation. He said there's no evidence sudden death is a bigger problem for children on stimulants than for children not taking the drugs.

What are the drugs?

About 2.5 million American children and 1.5 million adults take medication for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, according to government estimates. Stimulant drugs like Ritalin, Adderall and Concerta, help patients children with ADHD to stay focused.