Concerta Side Effects. Cardiovascular Events People with known heart problems should not take Concerta. Psychiatric Reactions Mania, hallucinations and other psychiatric symptoms may occur in patients taking methylphenidate. each person reacts to concerta differently. that being said, it is a stimulant, and when taking stimulants it may increase heart rate, which in turn will decrease your immune system, thus making you susceptible to any form of sickness and diseases. concerta gave me quality of life- I finally got my own housing, began my career in a studio and can focus on my personal projects on the side. My heart races but I won’t stop taking it- I rather die than go back to the fog I had before, no home, no job and thoughts that I couldn’t string together. Heart palpitations (feelings or sensations that your heart is pounding or racing) has been reported by people with high blood pressure, depression, multiple sclerosis, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis (latest reports from 95,286 Heart palpitations patients). I've taken Ritalin, Concerta, and Adderall, and they all caused a slight increase in heart rate. 100 beats per minute (resting) is normal for an adult, but anything above that is considered tachycardia which can be dangerous. Concerta (methylphenidate extended release tablets) is a central nervous system stimulant used for treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Side effects of Concerta include: Concerta and Adderall are medications used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. These drugs help activate the areas of your brain that are responsible for focusing and paying attention. So yesterday morning was kind of out of the ordinary for me. I had to take my meds at 11am which is much later than I normally do. I had already. My son recently started to wake up in the middle of the night with his heart racing. It has happened about 3 times in the last month. He takes concerta only on school days, and it has happened both on nights when he has taken it and also when he had not taken it. Common Questions and Answers about Concerta heart rate concerta each person reacts to concerta differently. that being said, it is a stimulant, and when taking stimulants it may increase heart rate , which in turn will decrease your immune system, thus making you susceptible to any form of sickness and diseases.