which ADHD medicine is good these days? do they raise blood pressure or act as a stimulant? (I guess I'm asking if there's anything better than adderall and ritalin these days)
Yes, there are much better options like Vyvanse or extended release Adderall or Concerta.
Note that these are still stimulants tho. Vyvanse is unique in that its a slightly modified dextroamphetamine (adderall) molecule that gradually gets metabolized by the liver into dextroamphetamine, sort of a "natural" extended release and has a much smoother (side) effect curve. Concerts and XR are just cleverly designed pills that release two doses of plain methylphenidate/amphetamine spaced out, so there's two distinct peaks with a small lull between.
Yes, that's correct. The slow release makes a big difference for a lot of people compared to traditional Adderall/Ritalin