A new study found that people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are twice more likely to die early due to accidents than those who don't have the condition. The risk is even higher for women with ADHD than men.
Researchers at the Aarhus University in Denmark looked at the data from more than 2 million people. Roughly two percent or 32,000 of them were diagnosed with ADHD.
During the follow-up period, 107 people with ADHD died before they turn 33 years old. The number is twice as high as the number of those who don't have the disorder. The researchers found that 42 of these deaths were mostly due to accidents, and the risk increases as people with ADHD become older. Women are also more vulnerable than men, according to Medical Xpress.
The results remained the same even after accounting other factors that could lead to premature deaths, such as age, sex, psychiatric history, parent's age, and education.
"Our findings emphasize the importance diagnosing ADHD early, especially in girls and women, and treating any co-existing antisocial and substance use disorders. It is, however, important to emphasize that although the relative risk of premature death is increased in ADHD, the absolute risk is low," said study leader Soren Dalsgaard of Aarhus University in a news release.
The findings of the study can help people with ADHD and their families ease their worries about premature death since there is no significant risk. However, if one doesn't want to take chances, it also provided evidence that such a scenario can be avoided through appropriate treatments.
"This is a large, well-done study, and I see it as a red flag planted in a terrain, a reason to identify and treat ADHD earlier than later," Dr. Stephen Faraone, a professor of psychiatry at SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse who is not involved in the study, told the New York Times.
The study was published in the Feb. 25 issue of The Lancet.
