More than 15.5 million U.S. adults have been diagnosed with ADHD, and nearly three-quarters of those taking medication to treat it say drug shortages are hampering their ability to get help, a new report finds. Photo by Adobe Stock/HealthDay News More than 15.5 million U.S. adults have been diagnosed with ADHD, and nearly three-quarters of those taking medication to treat it say drug shortages are hampering their ability to get help, a new report finds.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a national survey conducted last fall found that 6% of adults have a current diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and just over half (about 56%) received that diagnosis in adulthood.
Many aren’t receiving treatment to control the inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity that characterize the condition.
"Approximately one half of adults (50.4%) with ADHD were prescribed medications to treat their ADHD during the previous 12 months," noted a team led by Brooke Staley of the CDC’s National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities. Related
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The vast majority of drug treatments involved stimulant medications such as Ritalin , Vyvanse , Concerta or Adderall . However, recent shortages of these meds are affecting most adult ADHD patients, the study also found.
"Among adults who reported taking a stimulant medication, 71.5% reported difficulty getting their ADHD prescription filled during the previous 12 months because their medication was not available," the CDC team said.That can lead to real problems for patients, because proper medication is tied to "reduced social and emotional impairment, unintentional injuries, substance use disorders, and the risk of death to unnatural causes," the report’s authors said.Folks who can’t get their ADHD medications through usual means might also try to buy them off the Internet or elsewhere, "increasing their risk for overdose because of the prevalence of counterfeit pills in the illegal drug market, which might contain unexpected substances such as […]
Survey finds 6% of U.S. adults have ADHD amid ongoing drug shortages