Evidence Base for the Pharmacological Treatment of ADHD: State of the Art and Future Needs

Meta-analytic evidence based on short-term RCTs shows high and moderate effect sizes in terms of efficacy on ADHD core symptoms for stimulates and non-stimulants, respectively, at the group level. Within-individual observational studies show a significant decrease in unintentional physical injuries, motor vehicle accidents, substance use disorder, criminal acts, depression, and seizure, as well as an improvement in academic functioning, during periods when individuals are pharmacologically treated. They also show no increased risk of psychosis. Adverse events during treatment with ADHD medications can usually be managed, but safety is a concern for some patients, especially those with pre-existing cardiovascular conditions.

Learning Objectives:

• Differentiate, compare and rank ADHD medications in terms of efficacy and tolerability in the short term
• Compare the short and long term effects of ADHD medications
• Distinguish the effects of the medications at the group and individual level

About the Visiting Professor Lecture Series:

The Child Mind Institute Visiting Professor Lecture Series invites leaders in the field of child and adolescent mental health to talk about the latest research and treatment protocols. All events are open to the public. This year, all lectures will be hosted virtually over GoToWebinar. Continuing medical education (CME) credits for psychiatrists and continuing education (CE) credits for psychologists are through our partnership with Northwell Health.