ADHD
What is ADHD?
ADHD stands for Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder, which is a condition that includes a range of different symptoms such as being restless or finding it difficult to concentrate on a particular task. Multitasking can be a challenge and patients can find that they have a short attention span, they might fidget a lot, and can also act without thinking some of the time i.e. can be a bit impulsive. Planning things and managing time can also be a problem. Patients can also become restless or exhibit tendencies to overactivity. They also tend to have a low tolerance to becoming frustrated, can suffer from mood swings and have a hot temper.
A lot of the above symptoms, we can all get from time to time, and would be normal. However, if they are becoming more persistent and are disrupting daily life, then it is worth seeking advice from your GP in the first instance to ask if you might have ADHD. Treatment can be considered after having been assessed by an expert in this field to confirm the diagnosis.
It is not known what causes ADHD but it does run in some families. Lead exposure as a child might increase risk, and development of the central nervous system at important moments during pregnancy might also play a role in the development of ADHD.
Treatment for both adult and childhood ADHD are similar and involve medications, psychological counselling (also called psychotherapy), and treatment of any other mental health disorders that might coexist.
Having ADHD can pose some challenges in life for those affected, for example, some will exhibit poor performance at school or work, be unable to hold down a regular job, get in trouble with the police, have alcohol or drug misuse issues, find maintaining a steady relationship difficult, exhibit other mental or physical health problems etc.
ADHD does not cause other issues, but can coexist with things such as mood disorders (including depression and bipolar mood disorder), anxiety states, personality disorders and learning disabilities.
What medicines are usually taken to help the symptoms of ADHD?
Standard treatment usually involves taking medication in combination with skills training and psychotherapy (including CBD (cognitive behavioural therapy), or marital or family counselling). These can all help to manage the condition better rather than to effect a cure.
The usual medicines that are taken are stimulants, which serve to boost and rebalance the levels of neurotransmitters, which are types of chemicals, in the brain. Other medications include non-stimulant ones, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SNRIs which increase noradrenalin in the brain), and antidepressants. These latter medicines are slower to work than the stimulants but are good alternatives if the stimulants cannot be taken because of other health issues or due to unwanted side effects.
What are the common side effects of taking medicines for ADHD?
The following side effects can occur in some or all ADHD medications:
- An increase in blood pressure and heart rate
- Loss of appetite with weight loss
- Difficulty sleeping
- Headaches
- Stomach aches
- Feelings of irritability, depression or anxiety
- Aggressiveness and agitation
- Dizziness
- Diarrhoea
- Nausea or vomiting
- More rarely, suicidal thoughts and liver damage
- Tiredness or fatigue
- Abdominal pain
- Dry mouth
How can pharmacogenomics (PGx) help?
Recent advances in the field of pharmacogenomics (PGx) have shown that there are many variations in our genes and these can affect how a particular medication might work in us and can help determine our risk of suffering potential side effects associated with them.
Because we are all different genetically, knowing what particular gene variants we have can be very helpful to doctors, as they try to decide which medication to prescribe for us. At the moment, it is a best guess as to which one to start. PGx takes this guessing bit away, helping the doctor by providing them with the necessary information about your genes and then, which medicine might be the best one for you to start from the outset.
You can see which ADHD medications are included in the Mantara PGx Test here.