SynthesisBMC psychiatry2015
Are there any potentially dangerous pharmacological effects of combining ADHD medication with alcohol and drugs of abuse? A systematic review of the literature.
Synthesis in BMC psychiatry, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed.
- Non-Medical Use of Prescription Stimulants in Australia: Prevalence, Sociodemographic and Substance Use Correlates From the 2022-2023 National Drug Strategy Household Survey.Drug and alcohol review · 2026Article
- ADHD and Alcohol Use Disorder: Optimizing Screening and Treatment in Co-occurring Conditions.CNS drugs · 2025Review
- Identification and treatment of individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and substance use disorder: An expert consensus statement.World journal of psychiatry · 2023Review
- Management of ADHD in Prisoners-Evidence Gaps and Reasons for Caution.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2022Article
- Pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment of adults with ADHD: a meta-review.Evidence-based mental health · 2017Review
- Emergency Department Visits for Adverse Drug Reactions Involving Alcohol: United States, 2005 to 2011.Alcoholism, clinical and experimental research · 2016Article
- Factors Associated With Musculoskeletal Injuries in Children and Adolescents With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.The primary care companion for CNS disorders · 2016Article
- Substance Use Among Adolescents with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Reasons for Use, Knowledge of Risks, and Provider Messaging/Education.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPArticle
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundAmong young people up to 18 years of age, approximately 5% have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), many of whom have symptoms persisting into adulthood. ADHD is associated with increased risk of co-morbid psychiatric disorders, including substance misuse. Many will be prescribed medication, namely methylphenidate, atomoxetine, dexamphetamine and lisdexamfetamine. If so, it is important to know if interactions exist and if they are potentially toxic.
methodsThree databases (Medline, EMBASE and PsychINFO) from a 22 year period (1992 - June 2014) were searched systematically. Key search terms included alcohol, substance related disorders, methylphenidate, atomoxetine, dexamphetamine, lisdexamfetamine, and death, which identified 493 citations (344 after removal of duplicates). The eligibility of each study was assessed jointly by two investigators, leaving 20 relevant articles.
resultsWe identified only a minimal increase in side-effects when ADHD medication (therapeutic doses) was taken with alcohol. None of the reviewed studies showed severe sequelae among those who had overdosed on ADHD medication and other coingestants, including alcohol.
conclusionsThe numbers across all the papers studied remain too low to exclude uncommon effects. Also, studies of combined effects with novel psychoactive substances have not yet appeared in the literature. Nevertheless, no serious sequelae were identified from combining ADHD medication with alcohol/illicit substances from the pre-novel psychoactive substance era.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.