Side Effects of Ridlin

The side effects of Ritalin, a trademarked brand name for methylphenidate, are mostly innocuous but can include addiction and sudden death. Ritalin is a central nervous system stimulant, a class of drugs that enhance mental and physical response. In the United States, methylphenidate is also marketed as Ritalin SR, Methylin and Methylin ER. Physicians often prescribe the drug to their patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. But methylphenidate is also used to treat patients with narcolepsy, a sleep disorder.

Common Side Effects

Common side effects of Ritalin include nausea and vomiting, dry mouth, headache, nervousness, heartburn, stomach pain and loss of appetite. In women, methylphenidate can also cause painful menstruation. In his book, "Running on Ritalin," Dr. Lawrence H. Diller wrote that to limit side effects, both children and adults should begin their drug regimen with a 5 mg dosage and increase their intake every few days in 5 mg increments, up to a maximum of 20 mg per day. An individual who takes Ritalin and experiences any of these symptoms in severity should contact his physician. Side effects typically occur with higher doses.

Sudden Death

Individuals with arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat, angina or hypertension should not take Ritalin. According to the U.S. National Institutes of Health, even in normal doses stimulants such as methylphenidate can cause sudden death in children and adolescents with preexisting cardiac problems. The NIH reports that similar problems have been reported in adults taking stimulants for ADHD, but adults typically have more preexisting cardiac problems.

Addiction

When taken as prescribed by a physician, Ritalin is normally safe and effective. But the drug is sometimes abused as a stimulant, appetite suppressant or performance enhancer. Ritalin abusers risk not only psychological addiction, but also psychotic breaks. The National Drug Intelligence Center, an agency of the U.S. Department of Justice, maintains that Ritalin abusers often obtain the drug from friends and family members with valid prescriptions. According to the Monitoring the Future Survey, a nationwide survey of 8th, 10th and 12th grade students, 1.6 percent of 8th graders, 2.9 percent of 10th graders and 3.4 percent of 12th graders abuse stimulants such as methylphenidate.