Health Canada Warns Heart Patients to AVOID ADHD Drugs

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Fri, 26 May 2006 22:22:10 -0400

[sSRI-Research] Health Canada Warns Heart Patients to AVOID

ADHD Drugs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Health Canada Warns Heart Patients to AVOID ADHD Drugs

 

ALLIANCE FOR HUMAN RESEARCH PROTECTION (AHRP)

Promoting Openness, Full Disclosure, and Accountability

http://www.ahrp.org/cms/

 

FYI

Health Canada has taken constructive step to warn people with high

blood pressure, heart disease and other medical ailments NOT to take

psychostimulant drugs--which are essentially amphetamines.

 

Despite the stack of empirical evidence-from clinical trials and

MedWatch adverse drug event reports---linking these drugs to serious

adverse effects--the FDAcontinues to drag its feet. Between 1990-2000

the FDA received 186 reports of deaths--that reflects only 1% of

adverse events. Yet, the FDA did nothing to warn physicians or parents.

 

The FDA ignores the recommendations of cardiologgists, ignores its own

safety officers' recommendations, and ignores the rising number of

drug-casualties.

 

What's more FDA ignores the controversy swirling around the reckless

prescribing of drugs that, according to the head of the National

Institute of Drub Abuse, are more potent than cocaine.

Psychostimulants are prescribed for so-called ADHD-- an exceedingly

controversial " disorder " that, thanks to Eli Lilly's aggressive

advertising campaign direct to consumers, has increased to $3.1 billion.

 

Until Eli Lilly launched Strattera (2002), ADHD drugs were prescribed

only for children. Since then prescriptions for adults shot up 90%.

 

Who is benefiting?

 

 

Contact: Vera Hassner Sharav

212-595-8974

veracare

 

 

http://news./s/nm/20060526/hl_nm/canada_drugs_dc_3

Avoid ADHD drugs, Canada tells heart patients

50 minutes ago

 

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada's health ministry on Friday warned people

with high blood pressure, heart disease and a number of other medical

ailments not to take drugs used to manage Attention Deficit

Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

 

Health Canada said that in rare cases, people with these conditions

who took the drugs could suffer " rare heart-related side effects. " In

a statement, it warned people not to give up the drugs before

consulting their doctor.

 

Millions take the drugs to treat attention deficit hyperactivity

disorder, which causes trouble with focus as well as hyperactivity and

impulsiveness.

 

" All ADHD drugs stimulate the heart and blood vessels ... The effects

are usually mild or moderate, but in some patients this stimulation

may -- in rare cases -- result in cardiac arrests, strokes or death, "

said Health Canada.

 

The drugs should be shunned by those with high blood pressure, heart

disease or abnormalities, hardening of the arteries or those with an

overactive thyroid gland, it added.

 

Reviewers at the U.S.

 

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have been working for months to

analyze reports of sudden deaths, heart attacks and strokes as well as

psychotic behavior such as hallucinations suffered by those who took

the drugs.

 

In March, a panel of U.S. medical advisors called for new information

about heart risks to be added to labeling for ADHD medications but

stopped short of recommending tougher measures.

 

The drugs mentioned by Health Canada include:

 

* Adderall XR, made by Britain's Shire Pharmaceuticals Group Plc

 

* Concerta, made by Johnson & Johnson

 

* Ritalin and Ritalin SR, made by Novartis AG

 

* Dexedrine, made by GlaxoSmithKline Plc

 

* Strattera, made by Eli Lilly and Co.

 

 

 

 

 

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