Key result
Mixed amphetamine salts co-ingested with alcohol triggers acute MI and AF in a young adult.
Why the study?
Does use of mixed amphetamine salts cause severe cardiovascular events like acute myocardial infarction and atrial fibrillation in adults with ADHD?
Case Report (n=1)
No
Does use of mixed amphetamine salts cause severe cardiovascular events like acute myocardial infarction and atrial fibrillation in adults with ADHD?
Provides evidence that CNS stimulants used for adult ADHD can potentially trigger severe cardiovascular events like AMI and atrial fibrillation, especially when exposed to higher doses or combined with alcohol.
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a chronic neurobiological disorder exhibited by difficulty maintaining attention, as well as hyperactivity and impulsive behavior. Central nervous system (CNS) stimulants are the first line of treatment for ADHD. With the increase in number of adults on CNS stimulants, the question that arises is how well do we understand the long-term cardiovascular effects of these drugs. There has been increasing concern that adults with ADHD are at greater risk for developing adverse cardiovascular events such as sudden death, myocardial infarction, and stroke as compared to pediatric population. Cardiovascular response attributed to ADHD medication has mainly been observed in heart rate and blood pressure elevations, while less is known about the etiology of rare cardiovascular events like acute myocardial infarction (AMI), arrhythmia, and cardiomyopathy and its long-term sequelae. We present a unique case of AMI in an adult taking Adderall (mixed amphetamine salts) and briefly discuss the literature relevant to the cardiovascular safety of CNS stimulants for adult ADHD.
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Sinha et al. (2016) conducted a case report in ADHD (n=1). Mixed amphetamine salts was evaluated on Acute myocardial infarction and atrial fibrillation. A 31-year-old adult developed an acute myocardial infarction and atrial fibrillation after taking a higher than usual dose of mixed amphetamine salts alongside alcohol, highlighting potential severe cardiovascular risks.
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