Painful Erections: Another Reason To Worry About ADHD Pills

For parents who worry those ADHD pills may not be appropriate, here is another reason for concern – the FDA has just issued a notice saying methylphenidate products, which include Ritalin and Concerta, may cause prolonged and sometimes painful erections known as priapism. If there is any good news it would be this sort of thing is rare. Still, who wants to learn the hard way? Pardon the pun. The FDA took this step after reviewing the drugs and has now updated labeling and patient Medication Guides.  For those unaware, priapism can occur in males of any age and happens when blood in the penis becomes trapped, leading to an abnormally long-lasting and sometimes painful erection. Another ADHD drug, Strattera, has also been associated with priapism, according to an FDA statement. Priapism, by the way, appears to be more common in patients taking Strattera, which is sold by Eli Lilly, than the other drugs, the agency says. But at the same time, the FDA has only limited information and does not know how often priapism occurs in patients taking either type of medication.   The disclosure comes just after a story in The New York Times refocused attention on ADHD pills, thanks to the years of aggressive marketing by the pharmaceutical industry. The story, which you can read here, noted a rising rate of diagnosis 3.5 million children now, up from 600,000 in 1990 - that mirrored increased sales in 2012 were nearly $9 billion, more than five times the $1.7 billion a decade earlier. T...
Source: Pharmalot - Category: Pharma Commentators Authors: Source Type: blogs