Stimulant Medication

An analysis of recent drug use in the United States revealed unexpected trends in substances being used in tandem with fentanyl, according to an expert.

Although stimulant dispensing rates have rebounded to — or exceeded — pre-pandemic levels among girls, the dispensing rate among adolescent boys was almost 19% lower than it was before March 2020, according to study findings.

In a large network meta-analysis of pharmacological, psychological and neurostimulatory ADHD interventions, only stimulants and atomoxetine were associated with short-term reductions in core symptoms among adults.

Researchers estimated that 6%, or one in 16, U.S. adults had an ADHD diagnosis, more than half of whom were diagnosed in adulthood, according to findings published in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Many factors have contributed to the recent surge in adult ADHD diagnoses, but the rise is mostly reflective of what has always existed and gone undetected, according to experts.