---
title: "Psych News Alert: Study Suggests Stimulants Are Safe, Effective for Treating ADHD in Youth With Heart Defects"
description: Youth with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and congenital heart disease may be able to safely take stimulant medications ...
image: https://alert.psychnews.org/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/shutterstock_170808884-Jun-24-2025-09-19-26-8769-PM.jpg
---

 10/5/15 12:00 AM

# Study Suggests Stimulants Are Safe, Effective for Treating ADHD in Youth With Heart Defects

![Picture of Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Psych%20News%20Email%20Banners/PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png?width=50&name=PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png) [ Psychiatric News Alert ](https://alert.psychnews.org/author/psychiatric-news-alert)

Share: [facebook-f icon ](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://alert.psychnews.org/2015/10/study-suggests-stimulants-are-safe.html) [linkedin-in icon ](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://alert.psychnews.org/2015/10/study-suggests-stimulants-are-safe.html) [Twitter icon ](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://alert.psychnews.org/2015/10/study-suggests-stimulants-are-safe.html) [pinterest-p icon ](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/link/?url=https://alert.psychnews.org/2015/10/study-suggests-stimulants-are-safe.html) [envelope icon ](mailto:?body=https://alert.psychnews.org/2015/10/study-suggests-stimulants-are-safe.html)

| ![](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/shutterstock_170808884-Jun-24-2025-09-19-27-8365-PM.jpg?width=200&height=128&name=shutterstock_170808884-Jun-24-2025-09-19-27-8365-PM.jpg) |  |
| --- | --- |

Youth with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and congenital heart disease may be able to safely take stimulant medications for their ADHD, so long as proper care and diligence is taken, according to [research](http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-10/cchm-sms092915.php) presented yesterday at the Society for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics Annual Meeting in Las Vegas.

A team of researchers from Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center compared the health outcomes of 44 youth (aged 6 to 18) with congenital heart defects who were taking stimulants and found no increased risk for death or changes in cardiac vital signs, such as blood pressure or heart rate, when compared with youth with similar heart defects who were not taking stimulants. The youth taking stimulants also showed significant improvements in their ADHD symptoms.

“Children with congenital heart disease are at high risk for ADHD, but fears about cardiovascular side effects, including sudden death, limit the use of stimulant medications,” Julia Anixt, M.D., a developmental and behavioral pediatrician at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, said in a press release. Since 2006, the Food and Drug Administration has required warning labels on stimulant medications that caution that they generally should not be used in patients with serious heart problems due to the increased risk of serious cardiovascular complications.

“This study indicates that stimulants are both effective and safe when prescribed with appropriate monitoring and in collaboration with the patient's cardiologist,” Anixt said.

For related information, see the *Psychiatric News* article “[Pediatricians Urged to Adhere Better to ADHD Care Practices](http://psychnews.psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/appi.pn.2015.1a6).”

(tomertu/Shutterstock)

[stimulants](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/stimulants), [pediatric ADHD](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/pediatric-adhd)

## Related posts

[![](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/SmokingGirl_110335310-4.jpg?height=200&name=SmokingGirl_110335310-4.jpg) ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2013/02/study-finds-link-between-adhd-and.html)

[ADHD](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/adhd), [psychiatry](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/psychiatry), [adolescents](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/adolescents), [substance abuse](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/substance-abuse), [child and adolescent psychiatry](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/child-and-adolescent-psychiatry)

## [Study Finds Link Between ADHD and Substance Abuse in Teens](https://alert.psychnews.org/2013/02/study-finds-link-between-adhd-and.html)

![Picture of Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Psych%20News%20Email%20Banners/PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png?width=50&name=PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png) [Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/author/psychiatric-news-alert) 

 2/20/13 12:00 AM

Teenagers with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have higher rates of substance abuse...

[ Read more ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2013/02/study-finds-link-between-adhd-and.html)

[![](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/iStock-997274786%20YOUNG%20PESON%20AND%20MEDICINE-Jun-24-2025-05-06-20-7314-PM.jpg?height=200&name=iStock-997274786%20YOUNG%20PESON%20AND%20MEDICINE-Jun-24-2025-05-06-20-7314-PM.jpg) ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2019/07/many-youth-with-adhd-fail-to-take.html)

[ADHD](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/adhd), [Psychiatric Services](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/psychiatric-services), [medication adherence](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/medication-adherence), [stimulant medication](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/stimulant-medication), [prescription refills](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/prescription-refills), [Joseph Biederman](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/joseph-biederman)

## [Many Youth With ADHD Fail to Take Stimulants as Prescribed, Study Suggests](https://alert.psychnews.org/2019/07/many-youth-with-adhd-fail-to-take.html)

![Picture of Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Psych%20News%20Email%20Banners/PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png?width=50&name=PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png) [Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/author/psychiatric-news-alert) 

 7/2/19 12:00 AM

More than half of children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may...

[ Read more ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2019/07/many-youth-with-adhd-fail-to-take.html)

[![](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/happygirl_iStock_494581822-Jun-24-2025-10-38-15-8189-PM.jpg?height=200&name=happygirl_iStock_494581822-Jun-24-2025-10-38-15-8189-PM.jpg) ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2016/12/study-suggests-adhd-medications-may.html)

[ADHD](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/adhd), [depression](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/depression), [youth](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/youth), [psychopharmacology](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/psychopharmacology), [ADHD medication](https://alert.psychnews.org/tag/adhd-medication)

## [Study Suggests ADHD Medications May Reduce Risk for Subsequent, Concurrent Depression](https://alert.psychnews.org/2016/12/study-suggests-adhd-medications-may.html)

![Picture of Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Psych%20News%20Email%20Banners/PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png?width=50&name=PN-Blue-Box_rgb.png) [Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/author/psychiatric-news-alert) 

 12/28/16 12:00 AM

Previous studies suggest that depression occurs in youth with attention-deficit/hyperactivity...

[ Read more ](https://alert.psychnews.org/2016/12/study-suggests-adhd-medications-may.html)

```json
{
  "@context" : "https://schema.org",
  "@type" : "BlogPosting",
  "author" : {
    "@type" : "Person",
    "name" : "Psychiatric News Alert",
    "url" : "https://alert.psychnews.org/author/psychiatric-news-alert"
  },
  "dateModified" : "2025-06-24T21:24:35.027Z",
  "datePublished" : "2015-10-05T04:00:00.000Z",
  "headline" : "Psych News Alert: Study Suggests Stimulants Are Safe, Effective for Treating ADHD in Youth With Heart Defects",
  "image" : [ "https://alert.psychnews.org/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/shutterstock_170808884-Jun-24-2025-09-19-26-8769-PM.jpg" ],
  "mainEntityOfPage" : {
    "@id" : "https://alert.psychnews.org/2015/10/study-suggests-stimulants-are-safe.html",
    "@type" : "WebPage"
  },
  "publisher" : {
    "@type" : "Organization",
    "logo" : {
      "@type" : "ImageObject",
      "url" : "https://alert.psychnews.org/hubfs/PN-Blue-Box.jpg"
    }
  }
}
```