Skip to main content
. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2016 Jul 13.
Published in final edited form as: N Engl J Med. 2011 Nov 1;365(20):1896–1904. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1110212
Nonuser Former ADHD
Medication User
Current ADHD
Medication User
Sudden cardiac death
Number of cases 17 12 3
Age, mean (standard
deviation)
14.6 (4.2) 18.7 (4.3) 14.0 (8.0)
Autopsy reviewed 13 (76.5%) 9 (75.0%) 3 (100.0%)
Cardiac abnormalities
found at autopsy
Left ventricular hypertrophy (1)
Hypertrophic Obstructive
Cardiomyopathy (3)
No abnormality (9)
Left ventricular
hypertrophy (1)
Dilated cardiomyopathy (2)
Tunneling of left anterior
descending coronary artery
(1)
No abnormality (6)
Dilated cardiomyopathy (1)
Fibro-fatty change sino-
atrial node (1)
Dysplasia of
atrioventricular node artery
(1)
Acute myocardial
infarction
Number of cases 6 2 0
Age, mean (standard
deviation)
18.7 (2.7) 18.0 (1.4) -
ST segment elevation on
electrocardiogram
6 (100%) 1 (50%) -
Coronary artery occlusion
noted at cardiac
catheterization (among
those who underwent the
procedure)
3 of 5 who had cardiac
catheterization performed
1 of 2 who had cardiac
catheterization performed
Stroke
Number of cases 21 8 4
Age, mean (standard
deviation)
14.9 (4.1) 16.3 (2.2) 14.5 (5.1)
Etiology, Number (%)
  Hemorrhagic stroke 15 (71.4%) 2 (25.0%) 2 (50.0%)
  Stroke from vessel
occlusion or
    vessel abnormality
2 (9.5%) 2 (25.0%) 1 (25.0%)
  Embolic stroke 1 (4.8%) 1 (12.5%) 1 (25.0%)
  Unknown despite
imaging
2 (9.5%) - -
  Ischemic 1 (4.8%) 3 (37.5%)

Cases where outcomes were validated with medical records. Note that this table excludes cases where medical records were not reviewed, including one sudden cardiac death, one acute myocardial infarction, and six strokes.