Single-Dose Amphetamine-Dextroamphetamine linked to acute CV Effects in Healthy Adults, finds study
Researchers have found in a small controlled study that a single 25 mg dose of amphetamine-dextroamphetamine (Adderall) in healthy individuals without ADHD led to increased blood pressure, heart rate, and sympathetic nervous system activation. These findings help explain the potential link between illicit stimulant use and acute cardiovascular events among students and recreational users. The study was presented at Mayo Clinic Proceedings by Kiran R. and fellow researchers.
Adderall, a combination of amphetamine and dextroamphetamine salts, is used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Nevertheless, it is also used recreationally, cognitively, or to improve performance. Despite the increased recreational use of Adderall, little information exists regarding the acute cardiovascular effects of this medication in individuals who have not previously used it. Acute stimulant use has been believed to stimulate the sympathetic nervous system, leading to increased blood pressure and heart rate, which could cause cardiovascular problems.
This study was carried out using a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study design to evaluate the cardiovascular effects of Adderall compared to a placebo. The study was conducted from June 15, 2018, to July 23, 2021.
A total of 30 healthy normal volunteers who had no diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and who had never taken Adderall previously were used. The healthy normal subjects took a single dose of 25 mg oral generic Adderall, as well as a placebo, by means of a crossover study. The placebo resembled the active drug, with identical tablets being compounded and encapsulated in lactose powder at the Mayo Clinic Research Pharmacy.
Key findings:
In the randomized double-blind crossover study, the design involved the inclusion of 30 healthy volunteers naive to the exposure of Adderall, and the results were obtained from 29 (16 females) with a mean age of 27 ± 1 years.
Each participant was given a single dose of 25 mg of Adderall and the same dose of placebo at separate times within the time period from June 15, 2018, to July 23, 2021.
After the administration of Adderall, the systolic blood pressure was elevated from 116±2 mm Hg to 126±2 mm Hg (P < 0.001), and the diastolic blood pressure was elevated by 6±1 mm Hg, with the mean blood pressure elevated by 7±1 mm Hg.
The heart rate was elevated by 10±2 beats/min (P < 0.01). The plasma levels of norepinephrine were elevated from 215±15 pg/mL to 301±14 pg/mL after the administration of Adderall, whereas no significant changes were observed after the administration of the placebo (P = 0.027 for group-by-time interaction).
The study shows that a single dose of Adderall, a stimulant, increases blood pressure, heart rate, and sympathetic nervous system activity in a healthy, naive subject. These data indicate the strong cardiovascular effects of stimulant use, which provide a mechanistic basis that could help explain the relationship between the use of illicit Adderall and cardiovascular events. These data also reinforce the need to make users of non-prescribed stimulants, including Adderall, aware of the cardiovascular risks of stimulant use, even with a single dose.
Reference:
Somers, K. R., Bock, J. M., Covassin, N., Bukartyk, J., Rajendran, A., & Svatikova, A. (2026). Acute cardiovascular responses to amphetamine/dextroamphetamine salts (adderall) in adderall-naïve young adults: A randomized clinical trial. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Mayo Clinic, 101(3), 375–381. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mayocp.2025.12.005
