The Insight Corner Hub: Psychiatric Comorbidities in Adult Patients with ADHD: Risks, Current and Future Treatment Landscape, and Epidemiology

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common psychiatric disorder that can persist from childhood into adulthood¹⁵. Adult patients with ADHD often face a high risk of psychiatric comorbidities, which can complicate the diagnosis and management of ADHD¹²³.

Risks of Psychiatric Comorbidities in Adult Patients with ADHD

Adults with ADHD are at an increased risk of other psychiatric disorders such as personality disorders, intermittent explosive disorder, substance use disorders, mood and anxiety disorders¹³. As many as 80% of adults with ADHD have at least one coexisting psychiatric disorder¹. These comorbidities might complicate the diagnosis of ADHD and also worsen the prognosis². There are strong familial links between ADHD and psychiatric comorbidities such as bipolar disorder, suggesting a genetic contribution¹.

Current Treatment Landscape of ADHD

The current treatment for ADHD includes medication, behavior counseling, and education⁹. For children 6 years of age and older, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends behavior therapy and medication, preferably both together⁷⁸. For children under 6 years of age behavior therapy is recommended as the first line of treatment⁷⁸. An estimated 69.3% of children with a current diagnosis of ADHD received medication for ADHD¹⁴.

Future Treatment Landscape of ADHD

The future treatment landscape for ADHD is promising with new medications and formulations being developed⁶¹¹. Treatments recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for pediatric patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) include 2 medications that address some of the common issues associated with standard stimulant treatments¹¹. Another development is the use of devices to manage ADHD symptoms¹¹.

Epidemiology of ADHD

The estimated number of children aged 3–17 years ever diagnosed with ADHD, according to a national survey of parents, is 6 million (9.8%) using data from 2016-2019¹⁴. The overall prevalence of current adult ADHD is 4.4%. Prevalence was higher for males (5.4%) versus females (3.2%). The non-Hispanic white group (5.4%) had a higher prevalence than all other race/ethnicity groups¹⁵.

Conclusion

In conclusion, understanding the risks associated with psychiatric comorbidities in adult patients with ADHD is crucial for healthcare providers. Staying informed about the current and future treatment landscape can help in providing effective care to these patients.

References:

(1) NIMH » Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd.

(2) Adult ADHD and comorbid disorders: clinical ... - BMC Psychiatry. https://bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12888-017-1463-3.

(3) The prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities in adult ADHD ... - PLOS. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0277175.

(4) Adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/adult-adhd/symptoms-causes/syc-20350878.

(5) ADHD treatment: Medication, therapy, and more - Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/adhd-treatment.

(6) Treatment of ADHD | CDC - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/treatment.html.

(7) What Types of Treatment Do Children with ADHD Receive?. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/features/kf-national-treatment-profile-adhd-nsdata.html.

(8) Data and Statistics About ADHD | CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/data.html.

(9) The Future of the ADHD Treatment Landscape - Psychiatric Times. https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/the-future-of-the-adhd-treatment-landscape.

(10) Advances in Treatments for ADHD - Psychiatric Times. https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/advances-in-treatments-for-adhd.

(11) Underdiagnosis of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Adult .... https://www.psychiatrist.com/pcc/neurodevelopmental/adhd/underdiagnosis-attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder/.

(12) What Are Common Comorbidities in ADHD? - Psychiatric Times. https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/what-are-common-comorbidities-adhd.

(13) Adult ADHD: Treatment and Management | AAFP. https://www.aafp.org/family-physician/patient-care/prevention-wellness/emotional-wellbeing/adhd-toolkit/treatment-and-management.html.

(14) Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) - THELANSIS. https://thelansis.com/reports/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd-market-outlook-forecast/.

(15) ADHD & Pharmacotherapy: Past, Present and Future - Europe PMC. https://europepmc.org/article/MED/26366330.

(16) Epidemiology of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in .... https://annals-general-psychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12991-020-00271-w.

(17) undefined. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0277175.