European consensus statement on diagnosis and treatment of adult ADHD: The European Network Adult ADHD.

BACKGROUND: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is among the most common psychiatric disorders of childhood that persists into adulthood in the majority of cases. The evidence on persistence poses several difficulties for adult psychiatry considering the lack of expertise for diagnostic assessment, limited treatment options and patient facilities across Europe. METHODS: The European Network Adult ADHD, founded in 2003, aims to increase awareness of this disorder and improve knowledge and patient care for adults with ADHD across Europe. This Consensus Statement is one of the actions taken by the European Network Adult ADHD in order to support the clinician with research evidence and clinical experience from 18 European countries in which ADHD in adults is recognised and treated. RESULTS: Besides information on the genetics and neurobiology of ADHD, three major questions are addressed in this statement: (1) What is the clinical picture of ADHD in adults? (2) How can ADHD in adults be properly diagnosed? (3) How should ADHD in adults be effectively treated? CONCLUSIONS: ADHD often presents as an impairing lifelong condition in adults, yet it is currently underdiagnosed and treated in many European countries, leading to ineffective treatment and higher costs of illness. Expertise in diagnostic assessment and treatment of ADHD in adults must increase in psychiatry. Instruments for screening and diagnosis of ADHD in adults are available and appropriate treatments exist, although more research is needed in this age group

Guideline for screening, diagnosis and treatment of ADHD in adults with substance use disorders

Currently there is no guideline for the screening, diagnosis and treatment of adult attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in patients with a substance use disorder (SUD). The aim was to develop such a guideline, starting out from a systematic review and based on the methodology of the Scottish Intercollegiate Guideline Network (SIGN). Due to the lack of scientific evidence on some of the topics, the guideline is a combination of evidence based and practice based recommendations. Given the high prevalence of ADHD in treatment seeking SUD patients and the availability of valid screening instruments, all treatment seeking SUD patients should be screened for ADHD. Diagnosis of ADHD should be based on clinical observation and history taking, including informant data. Integrated treatment of ADHD and SUD is recommended, including pharmacotherapy, psycho-education, coaching, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). The lack of scientific data and the overall lack of expertise in the field are significant obstacles to the implementation of the guideline. Intensive training programs in the substance abuse sector need to be organized to implement these guideline

Reactie op het opiniestuk "Opvoeden vanuit de apothekerskast? Kanttekeningen bij het psychiatriseren van kinderen" van Stijn Vanheule

status: publishe

European consensus statement on diagnosis and treatment of adult ADHD : The European Network Adult ADHD

Background: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is among the most common psychiatric disorders of childhood that persists into adulthood in the majority of cases. The evidence on persistence poses several difficulties for adult psychiatry considering the lack of expertise for diagnostic assessment, limited treatment options and patient facilities across Europe. Methods: The European Network Adult ADHD, founded in 2003, aims to increase awareness of this disorder and improve knowledge and patient care for adults with ADHD across Europe. This Consensus Statement is one of the actions taken by the European Network Adult ADHD in order to support the clinician with research evidence and clinical experience from 18 European countries in which ADHD in adults is recognised and treated. Results: Besides information on the genetics and neurobiology of ADHD, three major questions are addressed in this statement: (1) What is the clinical picture of ADHD in adults? (2) How can ADHD in adults be properly diagnosed? (3) How should ADHD in adults be effectively treated? Conclusions: ADHD often presents as an impairing lifelong condition in adults, yet it is currently underdiagnosed and treated in many European countries, leading to ineffective treatment and higher costs of illness. Expertise in diagnostic assessment and treatment of ADHD in adults must increase in psychiatry. Instruments for screening and diagnosis of ADHD in adults are available and appropriate treatments exist, although more research is needed in this age group