Adult ADHD drugs use up 50%
Prescriptions of drugs to treat attention deficit disorder have increased by more than 50 per cent for an unlikely demographic — those over 50 years old.
The disorder, characterised by attention difficulties and behaviour troubles, is mostly found in children and adolescents. But new figures from drug-buying agency Pharmac showed 10,329 prescriptions were issued to over-50s in 2016, up from 6745 three years earlier.
This year figures indicate nearly 12,000 prescriptions could be issued.
Researchers say an increasing awareness of the disorder — and a willingness to prescribe drugs as a primary option — was behind the growth in prescriptions.
Dr Julia Rucklidge, professor of clinical psychology at the University of Canterbury, said some parents whose children had been diagnosed noticed they had symptoms too.
“Now psychiatrists are far more accepting . . . that ADHD can exist in adulthood,” Rucklidge said.
It’s not only over-50s. Prescriptions have risen for all age groups.
More than 183,000 prescriptions were issued in 2016 in total, up 37 per cent on 2013’s figures. Half-year figures for 2017 had already hit 100,000 — on track to break 200,000 at year’s end. This would be more than double the 98,000 prescriptions issued in 2005.
University of Otago researcher Dr Dione Healey said significant prescription increases in the past few years nationwide were surprising, given the medical community had been well aware of ADHD for the past 10 or 15 years.
She said the latest international guidelines lowered the threshold for ADHD to be diagnosed, which may have driven the rise in prescriptions.
Healey also urged caution against medicating as a panacea because it was easier than other solutions.