6/15/21

 USE OF CNS STIMULANTS OVER LONG PERIODS

1. WHAT ARE CNS STIMULANTS

Central Nervous System (CNS) stimulants are medicines that stimulate the brain,
speeding up both mental and physical processes. They increase energy, improve
attention and alertness, and elevate blood pressure, heart rate, and respiratory rate.
CNS stimulants work by increasing the amounts of two neurotransmitter hormones
called dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain. They are used to treat ADHD.
CNS stimulants can have many unpleasant side effects and can be highly addictive.
Withdrawal symptoms can be very harsh, which encourages repeated and frequent
misuse to maintain the high. Addiction can happen quickly after just a few uses. Long-
term use of CNS stimulants can cause severe adverse effects, including arrhythmias,
tachycardia, chest pain, hypertension, seizures, increased body temperature, psychosis,
and heart failure.

2. PRESCRIPTION ARE ON RISE

A study conducted in 2018 found that an estimated 4.1 million US adults reported prescrip
for CNS stimulants, having filled a mean of 7.3 prescriptions with a mean of 226 days’ sup
Compared with 2013, the estimated number of adults reporting using CNS stimulants in 2
A study conducted in 2018 found that an estimated 4.1 million US adults reported
prescriptions for CNS stimulants, having filled a mean of 7.3 prescriptions with a mean
of 226 days’ supply. Compared with 2013, the estimated number of adults reporting
using CNS stimulants in 2018 increased by 1.8 million or 79.8%. Most 2018 adult
stimulant users reported taking psychoactive medication for one or more mental,
behavioral or neurodevelopment disorders. Overall, 77.8% reported some medication
for adult attention deficit disorder, 26.8% took medication for anxiety, 25.1% for
depression and 15.3% indicated drug treatment for other mental or neurological
disorders.
Adult CNS stimulant use was higher in females, in younger age cohorts and among
individuals of white race/ethnicity. The data show that use of CNS stimulants is
overwhelmingly in the long term, with a median of 226 days’ supply. The skew towards
use in younger age groups raises the question of whether or when those prescribed
stimulants for ADHD in childhood or adolescence should be discontinued as they grow
older. In conclusion, adult medical use of prescription stimulants increased markedly in
5 years and occurred in a population often reporting multiple mental or neurological
disorders. Further action is needed to understand and manage this new resurgence in
drugs with high risks of dependence.