ADHD patients with psychiatric comorbidities are more likely to stop taking their ADHD medication

A research study from the Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research iPSYCH shows that people with ADHD, who also have another psychiatric diagnosis, are more likely to stop taking their ADHD medication.

ADHD is one of the most common childhood psychiatric disorders and is usually treated with medication. ADHD drugs can be divided into two groups: drugs that have a stimulating effect – also called stimulants – and non-stimulants, which are often used if a person is not responding well to the other form of medicine.

The drug can be an effective way to reduce symptoms by increasing the individual’s ability to concentrate and reducing hyperactivity and impulsivity.

Research from iPSYCH now shows that people with ADHD, who also have another psychiatric diagnosis, have a higher risk of stopping their medication than people who “only” have a diagnosis of ADHD.

Fifty percent stop taking the drug

Research shows that although stimulants work for the majority of people with ADHD, drugs can sometimes cause side effects, and up to 50% stop taking their ADHD medications within two years of starting treatment. .

We have found that people who have another psychiatric diagnosis in addition to ADHD, such as tics, anxiety, bipolar disorder, or some form of addiction, either stop taking their stimulant medication to a greater extent or switch to a nonstimulant drug for ADHD. “

Isabell Brikell, lead author of the study, researcher at iPSYCH

According to the researcher, this could potentially be due to a higher risk of side effects or a weaker effect of stimulants in people with multiple diagnoses, for example, stimulants can in rare cases lead to tics, which may cause the person to stop taking their medication. stimulant medication or try non-stimulants.

Positive effect on important areas

“It is important to understand why so many people stop taking their ADHD medications. Previous research has shown that treatment can have positive effects on important parameters such as school performance and a lower risk of accidents and of injuries for people with ADHD, ”says Isabell. Brikel.

Researchers also found evidence that a higher genetic risk of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder is associated with an increased risk of stopping stimulant drugs.

The results have just been published in the scientific journal American Journal of Psychiatry, and the study is the largest of its kind to date.

Researchers collected information from 9,133 people diagnosed with ADHD and their ADHD medication prescriptions in Denmark since 1995. The study attempted to identify genetic, clinical (age at diagnosis of ADHD and other diagnosis) and socio-demographic, such as education, income, and parental psychiatric history, which can affect a person’s risk of stopping ADHD treatment.

“Our results confirm earlier, smaller studies showing that certain psychiatric co-morbidities may have a negative effect on ADHD treatment outcomes,” says Isabell Brikell, and points out that the results are particularly interesting for clinicians working with ADHD because they make treatment decisions when meeting new ADHD patients.

“By knowing more about why and who is at increased risk of interrupting their treatment, we can better equip clinicians to provide these people with more targeted treatment, follow-up and support,” she says.

Researchers are currently analyzing genetic information on more than 20,000 people with ADHD to test whether the study’s results can be confirmed and extended.