{"id":688,"date":"2026-02-13T08:38:14","date_gmt":"2026-02-13T08:38:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/surgerywebtemp.org.uk\/a83011\/?page_id=688"},"modified":"2026-02-19T08:51:52","modified_gmt":"2026-02-19T08:51:52","slug":"important-safety-information-about-adhd-medicines","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/surgerywebtemp.org.uk\/a83011\/important-safety-information-about-adhd-medicines\/","title":{"rendered":"Important Safety Information About ADHD Medicines"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you are taking a medicine for ADHD prescribed by our practice \u2014 either on its own or under a shared care agreement with your specialist team \u2014 please read this information carefully.<\/p>\n

These medicines can be very effective, but they also carry some important risks.<\/p>\n

We want to make sure you understand how to use them safely and know when to seek help.<\/p>\n

Why this information matters<\/h2>\n

A coroner recently investigated the tragic death of a patient taking a similar medicine. The coroner\u2019s report highlighted two important safety issues that affect anyone prescribed these types of medicines:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Monitoring blood pressure and pulse<\/b>\u00a0\u2013 ADHD medicines can affect the heart. Regular and reliable checks of your blood pressure and heart rate are essential. Treatment decisions should not be based only on home readings that have not been checked by a health professional.<\/li>\n
  2. Clear written advice<\/b>\u00a0\u2013 Patients should always receive written information about possible side effects, what to look out for, and when to seek help.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    You can read the coroner\u2019s full report here:<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t\t\tJacob Wooderson \u2013 Prevention of Future Deaths Report (judiciary.uk)<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n

    Possible risks and side effects<\/h2>\n

    Medicines used to treat ADHD, such as stimulants, can sometimes cause the following:<\/p>\n

      \n
    • Heart problems<\/b>\u00a0\u2013 including a fast or irregular heartbeat, palpitations, fainting, chest pain, or high blood pressure.<\/li>\n
    • In very rare cases, these heart problems can lead to serious events such as\u00a0sudden cardiac arrest or death<\/b>.<\/li>\n
    • Circulatory changes<\/b>\u00a0\u2013 such as cold fingers or toes, or changes in skin colour.<\/li>\n
    • Mental health changes<\/b>\u00a0\u2013 including mood swings, agitation, anxiety, or new or worsening thoughts of self-harm.<\/li>\n
    • Other effects<\/b>\u00a0\u2013 such as headaches, stomach pain, difficulty sleeping, or reduced appetite.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      These risks increase if the medicines are combined with illegal drugs or excessive alcohol.<\/p>\n

      The serious problems are uncommon, but it\u2019s important to be aware of them so you can act quickly if they occur.<\/p>\n

      Regular checks of your blood pressure and heart rate are designed to reduce this risk and keep you safe.<\/p>\n

      What this means for you<\/h2>\n
        \n
      • You should continue to have your blood pressure and pulse checked regularly. These checks need to be done in a reliable way \u2014 for example, at the surgery or at your specialist clinic.<\/li>\n
      • We will ask you to attend for in-person checks at least every six months, and sooner if your dose changes.<\/li>\n
      • If we do not have reliable readings, we will not be able to continue prescribing your medicine.<\/li>\n
      • If you experience any of the symptoms listed above \u2014 especially chest pain, fainting, palpitations, or severe mood changes \u2014 please seek urgent medical help.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        Your safety is our top priority<\/h2>\n

        We are sharing this information to help ensure your ADHD medicine is used as safely as possible.<\/p>\n

        If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the practice.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        If you are taking a medicine for ADHD prescribed by our practice \u2014 either on its own or under a shared care agreement with your…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-688","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/surgerywebtemp.org.uk\/a83011\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/688","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/surgerywebtemp.org.uk\/a83011\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/surgerywebtemp.org.uk\/a83011\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/surgerywebtemp.org.uk\/a83011\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/surgerywebtemp.org.uk\/a83011\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=688"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/surgerywebtemp.org.uk\/a83011\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/688\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/surgerywebtemp.org.uk\/a83011\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=688"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}