THE EFFECT OF METHYLPHENIDATE ON CARDIOVASCULAR FUNCTIONS IN THE TREATMENT OF ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER

Objective:

Although not so frequent, serious cardiac adverse effects, e.g., increase in heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure with sympatomimetic effect was shown in a number of studies with the use of methylphenidate in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The aim of this study was to assess the effect of methylphenidate on ventricular repolarization, atrial depolarization parameters, and diastolic and systolic parameters of left ventricule in cases with ADHD.

Method:

In the University of Mersin, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 38 patients with ADHD and 29 non ADHD were investigated between August 2002-February 2002, by means of electrocardiography and the data of ADHD group were compared with non ADHD.

Results:

No significant difference was found between the groups for basal parameters. After 12 weeks of methylphenidate treatment, ventricular repolarization parameters were significantly lengthened (p<0.001). There was no statistically significant difference between atrial depolarization parameters of the non ADHD groups and ADHD groups before and after the treatment. The basal left ventricular diastolic and systolic parameters did not differ between both groups. After 12 weeks of methylphenidate treatment, none of these parameters were significantly changed.

Conclusion:

Methylphenidate increased the ventricular repolarization parameters in ADHD groups. In addition to routine parameters in electrocardiography, ventricular repolarization parameters should also be assessed for early diagnosis of possible cardiac side effects in patients on methylphenidate treatment.