Analysis: More teen girls on medications

WASHINGTON, May 16 (UPI) -- Over the past five years, the use of prescription drugs for diabetes, sleep problems and mental disorders in adolescent girls has risen faster than in boys, according to a report released Wednesday.

The findings, which come from a survey done by the pharmacy benefit manager Medco, suggest girls may be at an increased risk for several diseases and health problems and also indicate the underlying causes are not being adequately addressed.

"We found a striking increase in chronic diseases we didn't anticipate," Robert Epstein, Medco's chief medical officer, told United Press International. "If we're seeing a real fast increase in use of all these drugs in adolescents, it's not really the medical progress we're looking for."

Solving the issue will require the involvement of all of the players in the healthcare system, from pharmaceutical companies to physicians, Epstein said.

"I think there's a role for everyone to play here," he said.

Helpful strategies could include adopting lifestyle changes when appropriate, encouraging responsible use of these medications and placing more of an emphasis on addressing the underlying causes for these illnesses.

Advocacy groups urged more focus on the use of prescription medications in children.

"This is a concerning trend that merits close monitoring by health researchers and policy makers," Sherry Marts, vice president of scientific affairs for the Society for Women's Health Research, told UPI.

Marts said one concern that deserves special focus is whether the medications have been studied in children and adolescents to ensure they are both safe and effective in this age group.

"We can't assume that drugs tested and approved for adults will work the same for the very young," she said.

The rise in diabetes in young girls is also concerning because it can lead to major complications later in life, Marts said.

"We have to make sure that our children, especially girls, establish healthy lifestyles at a young age to prevent the onset of diabetes," she said.

The Pharmaceutical and Research Manufacturers of America did not respond to UPI's request for comment.

In the survey, Medco looked at prescription drug use among 370,000 boys and girls ages 10 to 19 from 2001 through 2006.

One of the most disturbing increases was the rise in type 2 diabetes medications in girls. The use of these drugs in girls rose 167 percent compared to only 33 percent in boys. The number of girls taking these medications now outnumber boys more than threefold.

Although it's a positive sign the children seem to be getting treated for type 2 diabetes, the trend suggests the problems that lead to the disorder in the first place are not being addressed, Epstein said.

Several explanations have been offered to explain the rise in type 2 diabetes among adolescent girls, including obesity, polycystic ovary syndrome and an earlier onset of menstruation, but none has been shown conclusively to be the culprit.

"I don't think we really know to be honest," Epstein said. "It's fertile ground for further research."

The use of sleep medications by girls rose by more than 80 percent the past five years and nearly doubled over the past year, rising from 6.3 percent in 2005 to 12 percent in 2006.

The prevalence of sleep problems could have several explanations, including adolescents' increased use of computers, video games and caffeinated beverages, Epstein said. Curtailing these lifestyle issues could help alleviate sleep disorders without drugs, he said.

Antipsychotics and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder medications also increased more in girls than in boys during the past five years. The prevalence of girls taking antipsychotics rose 117 percent compared to 71 percent in boys. ADHD medications in girls grew by 74 percent, but more boys overall take the drugs.

Epstein is not certain why there's been an increase in antipsychotic drugs in adolescents, but he said a lot of the use is probably off-label because most of these drugs are not indicated for children.

The survey also found signs the rise in prescription drug use in adolescents may be leveling off, probably due to parents' and physicians' reactions to the recent safety concerns associated with ADHD and antidepressant medications.

The Food and Drug Administration added a black-box warning to antidepressants' labeling in 2005 about the risk of suicidality in children and adolescents and one of the agency's advisory panels recommended a black box warning for ADHD medications about the risk for death and other serious problems.

The increase in antipsychotic medications last year was under 4 percent compared to 7.4 percent growth the previous year. ADHD treatment growth also declined sharply last year from the previous year.