ADHD Linked to 71% Higher Risk of Early Death — but Medication May Help, Major Review Finds

People with ADHD face a substantially higher risk of dying early than the general population, according to a large systematic review and meta-analysis published this week in JAMA Network Open — but the same research offers an encouraging signal that treatment may reduce that risk.

Researchers at the University of Liverpool pooled 19 longitudinal studies covering about 15.9 million participants across seven countries, some following people for more than 20 years. They found that a diagnosis of ADHD was associated with a 71% higher risk of death from any cause. The excess was concentrated in particular causes: the risk of death by suicide was about 89% higher, deaths from unintentional or intentional injuries about 55% higher, and deaths from natural causes such as cardiovascular and metabolic disease about 27% higher.

Why the risk may be higher

The authors point to several possible contributors. People with ADHD are more likely to experience mental health problems and difficulties with emotional regulation, impulse control and risk-taking, and they face higher rates of conditions such as cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders, diabetes and cancer. Challenges in accessing and sticking with healthcare may also play a role.

Medication linked to lower mortality — with caveats

Among people with ADHD, those taking medication had about a 25% lower risk of death from any cause than those who did not. The researchers are careful to stress the limits of that finding: it rests on only three of the 19 studies, the evidence is observational, and it cannot prove that medication itself prevents deaths.

First author Lucy Corrigan said the results provide early evidence that medication may play an important role in supporting the health of people with ADHD, while senior author Dr Amber John emphasised that medication is only part of the picture, arguing for equitable access to assessment, diagnosis and comprehensive long-term care across the lifespan.

Source: University of Liverpool