ADHD pharmacotherapy should be the preferred choice for patients with borderline personality disorder with ADHD symptoms and suicidal behaviour, according to Scandinavian doctors, who found it was the only treatment that reduced suicide risk.

Results from their registry-based study showed a 17% lower risk of suicide attempt or ideation — and half the risk of death by suicide — with use of ADHD drugs, compared with non-use.

Conversely, the researchers said benzodiazepines “should be used with care” when treating borderline personality disorder (BPD) after linking the drug class to a 4.2-fold higher risk of suicide death.

They analysed data from nearly 23,000 Swedes with BPD (mean age 29) to compare the effectiveness of different pharmacotherapies for preventing suicide.