Electrocardiogram screening to check for heart problems in hyperactive children before prescribing stimulant medications may help identify those at risk, but is only borderline cost-effective compared with the current practice of taking a patient history and doing a physical examination, a new study shows.
Stimulant medications — such as Ritalin, Concerta and Adderall — that are used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder boost pulse rate and may increase the risk of sudden cardiac death in children with some types of heart conditions.
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