Attention drug emergencies soar for US kids-report

* Calls to poison centers rise with prescriptions

* Rise may reflect availability of drugs

WASHINGTON, Aug 24 (Reuters) - Calls to poison control centers for U.S. teenagers who have overdosed on attention deficit drugs rose 76 percent over eight years, researchers reported on Monday.

This is nearly the same as the 80 percent rise in prescriptions for such drugs, Dr. Jennifer Setlik and colleagues at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center reported.

They took data from the American Association of Poison Control Centers for 1998 to 2005 for all cases of ADHD drug misuse involving 13- to 19-year-olds.

In 1988, these call centers only logged about 317 calls, but by 2005 they were getting 581 calls a year, they reported in the journal Pediatrics.

"Clearly, we are seeing a rising problem with the abuse of these medications," Setlik said in a statement.

"The findings suggest that more teens are abusing and misusing stimulant ADHD medications because they have access to those medications, not because a higher percentage of those treated have turned to abusing their medication."

Millions of people take ADHD drugs including Novartis AG's (NOVN.VX: Quote, Profile, Research) Ritalin, known generically as methylphenidate, and Shire Plc's (SHP.L: Quote, Profile, Research) Adderall and Vyvanse. Annual U.S. sales totaled about $4.8 billion in 2008, according to data from IMS Health.