heart condition vs ADHD

My 7 yr old had subaortic membrane removed for the second  time. Everything is fine now but I do think he has a small leak  around a valve but nothing to worry about. He has been diagnosed with ADHD and prescribed a patch with 10 mg of Methylphenidate transdermal system. I was wondering if it was ok to use this patch with his previous heart problems?

[Marie M Gleason, M.D.]

It is always best to speak directly with your child's cardiologist regarding the use of stimulant medication, because they understand what your child's particular risk might be, based on the underlying ECG and whether there are any prior arrhythmias. So therefore I cannot answer the question for your child. That being said, however, iIn many circumstances, where we know the history and what the ECG looks like,  we do allow our patients with congenital heart disease to use stimulant medications.  We recommend that they tell us if they feel any new palpitations or dizziness, but most often they are well tolerated.