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Updated: Jul 5, 2026
07:30
Single Cell Measurement of Dopamine Release with Simultaneous Voltage-clamp and Amperometry
Published on: November 21, 2012
Effect of amphetamines on blood pressure
Magnus Chan1, Jocelyn Joy Chan1, James M Wright1
1Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
|March 28, 2025
Summary
Daily amphetamine use increases blood pressure and heart rate in children and adults. This systematic review found higher withdrawal rates due to adverse effects, indicating potential cardiovascular risks with amphetamine prescriptions.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology and Toxicology
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Clinical Trials and Evidence Synthesis
Background:
- Amphetamines are commonly prescribed for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and other conditions, and also used for performance enhancement.
- Concerns exist regarding the long-term cardiovascular effects of daily amphetamine use, necessitating a comprehensive review of existing evidence.
- The balance between the therapeutic benefits and potential harms of amphetamines requires careful evaluation, particularly concerning blood pressure and heart rate.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify the impact of daily amphetamine intake on systolic and diastolic blood pressure in pediatric and adult populations compared to placebo.
- To assess secondary outcomes including changes in heart rate and the incidence of study withdrawals due to adverse effects.
- To provide a high-certainty evidence synthesis on the cardiovascular and safety profiles of amphetamines.
Main Methods:
- A systematic review and meta-analysis of 56 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 10,583 participants.
- Searches were conducted across major databases (Cochrane Hypertension Specialized Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase) with no language or publication restrictions.
- Primary outcomes included changes in blood pressure (mmHg), with secondary outcomes being heart rate (beats per minute) and withdrawals due to adverse effects, analyzed using fixed-effect models.
Main Results:
- Amphetamines significantly increased systolic blood pressure by 1.93 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure by 1.84 mmHg (high-certainty evidence).
- Heart rate increased by 3.71 beats per minute, also supported by high-certainty evidence.
- Participants receiving amphetamines were 2.69 times more likely to withdraw due to adverse effects, with an absolute risk increase of 4.3% over one month.
Conclusions:
- Daily oral amphetamine use leads to sustained increases in blood pressure and heart rate across various durations of use.
- The heightened risk of adverse events necessitates careful consideration of cardiovascular risks associated with amphetamine therapy.
- Future research should incorporate 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring to better assess long-term cardiovascular impact.
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