Posted by King Vultan on August 15, 2004, at 23:18:07
In reply to ADHD SSRI Meds Cause High Blood Pressure (?), posted by Lonely on August 13, 2004, at 19:14:26
You didn't mention if he has tried clonidine--this is an antihypertensive from the alpha-2 agonist class. It is reputed to have some efficacy in treating ADHD also, as it is thought that one of the reasons stimulants work for ADHD is that the norepinephrine they release winds up stimulating alpha-2 adrenergic receptors, among other things. Clonidine stimulates these receptors directly, without all the negatives of the stimulants, and actually reduces norepinephrine release, which will tend to reduce BP. To my way of thinking, this would tend to have a depressive effect on mood as well, which might require antidepressant augmentation or a greater degree thereof for someone already taking an AD.
Todd
poster:King Vultan
thread:377374
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040811/msgs/378092.html