This is nearly the same as the 80 percent rise in prescriptions for such drugs, Dr. Jennifer Setlik and colleagues at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center reported.They took data from the American Association of Poison Control Centers for 1998 to 2005 for all cases of ADHD drug misuse involving 13- to 19-year-olds. In 1988, these call centers only logged about 317 calls, but by 2005 they were getting 581 calls a year, they reported in the journal Pediatrics.
"Clearly, we are seeing a rising problem with the abuse of these medications," Setlik said in a statement. "The findings suggest that more teens are abusing and misusing stimulant ADHD medications because they have access to those medications, not because a higher percentage of those treated have turned to abusing their medication."
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is marked by restlessness, impulsiveness, inattention and distractibility that can interfere with a child's ability to pay attention in school and maintain social relationships. Amphetamines or methylphenidate drugs can calm and focus the brain. Prescriptions of amphetamines rose 133 percent from 1998 to 2003, and abuse of these drugs rose, too, the researchers found.
