More than 70% of the disorders of attention with hyperactivity (ADHD) deficit respond positively to pharmacological treatments.

-genetic factors cause 76% of cases. The rest relates to environmental factors such as smoking during pregnancy or stress

-primary care physician has an essential role in the information that is transmitted to the patient and the detection of the first symptoms of the disorder

-is the most common childhood disorder – affects 5-6% of the general child population – and typically is diagnostic more in boys than in girls; in adults the frequency is lower, around 3-4%.

– in adults, can lead to difficulties in social relations and a low working efficiency

Oviedo, 2011-November with hyperactivity (ADHD) attention deficit disorder is a neuropsychiatric syndrome begins in infancy and may persist into adulthood. It is more common in the first age – 5-6% of the general population affects infant – and usually is more diagnostic in children that girls, being most common at this stage conduct disorder. In adults their frequency is lower, about 3-4% of the population suffers from

The diagnosis of ADHD is currently performed in psychiatry or Neurology consultations, but the primary care physician has an essential role in the information that is transmitted to the patient and the detection of their first symptoms.

States Dr. Josep Antoni Ramos, Hospital Vall psychiatrist d´Hebrón of Barcelona, in the framework of the National Congress, which the Spanish society of physicians in primary care (SEMERGEN) held in Oviedo from 2 to 5 November, in many cases, patients receive multiple previous diagnoses or even psicofarmacológicos treatments not suitable for ADHD. If AP physician familiar with their symptoms and diagnosis, can improve their detection and correct derivation, avoiding a misuse of antidepressants, antipsychotics and other drugs. ”

according to Dr. Marcelino García Noriega, which combines the work of primary care pediatrician in Sotrondio C.S. and Neuropediatría consulting in Hospital Valle del Nalón de Asturias, usually pediatrician AP come to parents of children at his own request or submitted by school teams, mainly for learning disabilities and/or behavioural ”.

Dr. Ramos adds that it is very important to know the symptoms of ADHD and the possible negative consequences that may have: in the case of children and adolescents, the presence of a low academic performance or alterations in behavior, or even at the onset of drug use, must be a reason for a screening of the disorder ”.

The treatment of ADHD in children and adults

In many cases, ADHD is not diagnosed properly during childhood, so the disorder progresses to adulthood with multiple complications. The patient can be consulted for depressive symptoms, anxiety, lack of organization, impulsivity, or difficulty maintaining attention, all of them linked to the problems generated by this disorder. On other occasions, the first plea of consultation may be drug or attempting to quit smoking and not be able to get it repeatedly. Even a significant number of parents of children with ADHD (one of each 4, approximately) can consult a doctor of AP to observe that it has the same problems as their children and that they have never been treated so.

Different risk factors that have been linked to the presence of ADHD are currently known. They include genetic, causing 76% of cases. The rest relates to environmental factors, such as smoking during pregnancy or the stress.

Among the measures for its early diagnosis, Dr. García Noriega is the cribajes at key ages such as the 6 to 8 years, relying on simple questionnaires as a measure of suspicion. Some communities you have collected in the portfolio of services, although if in paediatrics in Spain is infradiagnosticado, in the adult it is even more ”.

In its management, Dr. Ramos noted that ADHD has a very high response to the treatments available, both children and adults: drug treatments show a positive response in more than 70% of patients. On the other hand, cognitive-behavioral psychological treatments have proven to be very effective in combination drug treatments or in isolation in mild cases ”.

Inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity symptoms

The symptoms of ADHD are the best known by the general population when speaking of this disorder. Indeed, physical hyperactivity is probably one of the most easy to recognize by its evidence symptoms. This ADHD observed in children, is transformed in adults with ADHD in a feeling of inner restlessness or an internal engine. Anyway, the description of the symptoms of ADHD are the same in children than in adults, although what varies is the expression of each ”, according to the expert.
Other characteristic symptoms of ADHD are inattention and impulsivity. They begin in childhood and can persist into adulthood, although not all symptoms occur with the same frequency and in all subjects; Some become evident in situations more formal (such as school or at work) and others in family relations.

Inattention symptoms are probably the most unnoticed spend on children’s ages. On the other hand, it is possible that they are one of the most frequent reasons for consultation among adults with ADHD. As pointed out by Dr. Ramos, studies have shown that inattention is the set of symptoms more maintained with over the years and which have associate a greater impact on employment of adults with ADHD ”.

In many patients are observed problems of academic – reaching even the dropout-, difficulties in relationships at the family level and with classmates, due to impulsivity of ADHD. These problems can end up resulting in low self-esteem of the patient, seriously damaging their personal development.

Adults have difficulty to organize, plan the work, are very timer and oblivious; along with the impulsivity, this can result in a low working efficiency if adequate treatment is not performed.

Spanish society of physicians in primary care (SEMERGEN)

SEMERGEN is the pioneer of primary care in Spain, with 37 years of experience. He was established with the objective of promoting family medicine through the maintenance and improvement of the professional competence of physicians, promoting research and facilitating the continuing education of the physician in order to maintain the quality in the care of the health of citizens.

Currently, SEMERGEN has more than ten thousand members, and is present in all professional fields, being the scientific society that brings together the most doctors work in primary care.

It has 17 regional delegations and held democratic elections every 4 years. SEMERGEN Foundation was established in 1999. This year it celebrated its thirty-third Congress as well as dozens of regional conferences.