Long-term exposure to ADHD medications is associated with an increased risk of CVD, particularly hypertension and arterial disease, Swedish researchers report.

Their registry-based study found that patients who used ADHD medications for 3-5 years were 72% and 65% more likely to develop hypertension and arterial disease, respectively, compared with non-users.

While the team stressed that patients “should not be alarmed” by their findings, lead author Dr Le Zhang (PhD) advised doctors to weigh this increased risk against the benefits on a case-by-case basis.

“Doctors should also regularly follow up ADHD patients to find signs and symptoms of cardiovascular disease over the long term,” said Dr Zhang, an epidemiologist from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm.