Narcolepsy is a chronic disorder of the central nervous system characterized by the brain's inability to control sleep-wake cycles. At various times throughout the day, people with narcolepsy experience irresistible and sudden bouts of sleep, which can last from a few seconds to several minutes.
A presentation about depressive disorder. The presentation composed of the definition, causes, types, clinical feature, diagnosis, prognosis, treatment and prevention of depression
A presentation about depressive disorder. The presentation composed of the definition, causes, types, clinical feature, diagnosis, prognosis, treatment and prevention of depression
sleep disorders contains dyssomnias ,parasomnias ,and sleep disorder associated with other major medical disorders . Restless leg syndrome and PLM are also covered here. this ppt also shows how to differentiate between sleep terror and night mares . treatment of sleep disorders also included.
Definition, Epidemiology, Etiology, Aspects of anxiety, Classification/types of anxiety, Pathophysiology of anxiety disorders, Management of anxiety disorders along with treatment algorithms
Schizophrenia is a chronic and severe mental disorder that affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves. People with schizophrenia may seem like they have lost touch with reality. Although schizophrenia is not as common as other mental disorders, the symptoms can be very disabling.
sleep disorders contains dyssomnias ,parasomnias ,and sleep disorder associated with other major medical disorders . Restless leg syndrome and PLM are also covered here. this ppt also shows how to differentiate between sleep terror and night mares . treatment of sleep disorders also included.
Definition, Epidemiology, Etiology, Aspects of anxiety, Classification/types of anxiety, Pathophysiology of anxiety disorders, Management of anxiety disorders along with treatment algorithms
Schizophrenia is a chronic and severe mental disorder that affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves. People with schizophrenia may seem like they have lost touch with reality. Although schizophrenia is not as common as other mental disorders, the symptoms can be very disabling.
Are you a teen ager ? You may have the chance to affect by Narcolepsy - sleep disorder. It is a chronic brain disorder that involves poor control of sleep-wake cycles. Surf the symptoms and remedies @ www.sleepmedcenter.com
presentation about sleep attack disease
I made a video shows some cases but I couldn't upload it here
if you're interested you can connect with me and I'll send it you
hope you'll find it useful :)
Tourette syndrome (TS) is a neurological
disorder characterized by repetitive, stereotyped, involuntary movements and
vocalizations called tics. The disorder is named for Dr. Georges Gilles de la
Tourette, the pioneering French neurologist who in 1885 first described the
condition in an 86-year-old French noblewoman.
The early symptoms of TS are typically
noticed first in childhood, with the average onset between the ages of 3 and 9
years. TS occurs in people from all ethnic groups; males are affected about
three to four times more often than females. It is estimated that 200,000
Americans have the most severe form of TS, and as many as one in 100 exhibit
milder and less complex symptoms such as chronic motor or vocal tics. Although
TS can be a chronic condition with symptoms lasting a lifetime, most people
with the condition experience their worst tic symptoms in their early teens,
with improvement occurring in the late teens and continuing into adulthood.
School Project I presented in November 2009. Brief description: "Tourette Syndrome (TS) is a neurological disorder characterized by tics: involuntary, rapid, sudden movements or vocalizations that occur repeatedly in the same way. The cause has not been established and as yet there is no cure."
Slides used in a session during the MOOC course on "Geohealth: Improving Public Health through Geographic Information" organized by the University of Twente. Link: https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/geohealth
Lyme disease prevention, diagnosis and treatmentKeith Berndtson
A brief look at tips for preventing and diagnosing Lyme disease, with perspective on why Lyme disease can manifest as a persistent infection and why additional research is need to guide physicians on how best to treat it.
Narcolepsy treatment is complex and not always successful. There is no cure for narcolepsy in traditional medicine, but medications and lifestyle modifications can help you manage your symptoms.
The particular treatment approach will be decided by your medical practitioner based on:
age,
physical condition,
medical history
the severity of the symptoms
your tolerance to certain drugs, procedures, or therapies
your expectations from the course of treatment
your belief, attitude, and preference
The goal of narcolepsy treatment is to help you stay as alert as possible throughout the day. It is also important to reduce the time you lose muscle control. In an ideal world, this can be accomplished using a minimal quantity of medicines. Find more information here: https://philaholisticclinic.com/narcolepsy-treatment/
Sleep disorders - a brief medical study martinshaji
A sleep disorder is any condition that involves difficulty experienced when sleep , such disorders involve daytime fatigue causing severe distress and impairment to work.
SD also have an impact upon social and personal functioning
this is a brief study on all aspects of this ...............
please comment
thank you
for any detailed suggestions and for any medical study materials connect with me
martinsuja369@gmail.com
than you
Medication-induced movement disorder (Extra-Pyramidal Side Effects, EPSE) occurs due to treatment with antipsychotic medications. It can also be defined as physical symptoms, including tremor, slurred speech, akathesia, dystonia, anxiety, distress, paranoia, and bradyphrenia, that are primarily associated with improper dosing of or unusual reactions to neuroleptic (antipsychotic) medications.
Though they are commonly caused by the typical antipsychotics, but can also be caused by the atypical.
The adverse consequences of these syndromes can be minimized by vigilant clinicians who systematically examine patients at risk for these disorders and who manage them properly when discovered.
The best management is, of course, prevention, which starts with the judicious prescription of neuroleptics, and an awareness of the potential for certain nonpsychiatric medications to cause the same movement disorders.
Running Head NARCOLEPSY AND CATAPLEXYNARCOLEPSY AND CARTAPLEX.docxglendar3
Running Head: NARCOLEPSY AND CATAPLEXY
NARCOLEPSY AND CARTAPLEXY 6
Study of Narcolepsy and cataplexy
Nicole Stallworth
Herzing University
Study of Narcolepsy and cataplexy
Narcolepsy
Narcolepsy is a serious cause of chronic sleeplessness. It normally develop in teen period and usually develop for life. It can be described as neurological syndrome that leads to sleepless and other symptoms that come along are short episode of the muscle failure or weakness, dreamlike hallucinations, a short period or episode f paralysis that’s when one is waking up or falling asleep them lastly there is a disjointed nighttime sleep. The disease and its symptoms usually begins at the age of10 to 20 (Schwartz, 2017). However, in other cases it starts late. Both men and women are affected at the same rate. It approximately affects 1 person out of 2,000 people. It’s a disease that is manageable. The following are types of narcolepsy, narcolepsy with cataplexy and then narcolepsy without cataplexy. The only difference is people who has narcolepsy without cataplexy are affected with sleeplessness. However, faces no muscle weakness. They don’t face severe signs. This are the two types that are today recognized by clinicians. Another rare cases arise with the injury to the hypothalamus, this is usually called secondary narcolepsy.
Causes Narcolepsy
The exact cause of narcolepsy, but researchers and scientist has identified genes that are associated with the condition. This type of gene are specifically in control of the production or yield of the chemicals founded in brain that signals sleep or awake routine or cycles. In other discussion some scientists argue that narcolepsy comes with the deficiency in secretion of the chemical hypocretin in the brain (Schwartz, 2017). In other cases some feel that it due to abnormalities in certain parts of the brain that regulate REM sleep. Then as a result these abnormalities influence the development of those symptoms. Experts feels that narcolepsy is enhanced by varied factors that comes together or relate to cause neurological disorder.
Symptoms of Narcolepsy
Excessive daytime sleepiness, this in many cases interrupt the normal happenings on a regular basis. Most people who suffers from narcolepsy has reported, memory lapse, depressed moods, mental cloudiness, and lastly lack of concentration and also energy. Cataplexy, loss of muscle tone that makes one too weak and also reduced muscle control. Certain part are interfered with such as speech and o can collapse at a given chance. It perhaps depend on the type of muscle as most of the time the act is triggered by different emotions or behaviour such as laughter and surprise. Sleep paralysis, this symptom is accompanied by one not being able to speak in the process of falling asleep or even waking up (Bassetti, 2018)). However, this type of episode are always brief and people recover very first. Hallucination, one experiences lot of delusion and they are.
Running Head NARCOLEPSY AND CATAPLEXYNARCOLEPSY AND CARTAPLEX.docxtodd581
Running Head: NARCOLEPSY AND CATAPLEXY
NARCOLEPSY AND CARTAPLEXY 6
Study of Narcolepsy and cataplexy
Nicole Stallworth
Herzing University
Study of Narcolepsy and cataplexy
Narcolepsy
Narcolepsy is a serious cause of chronic sleeplessness. It normally develop in teen period and usually develop for life. It can be described as neurological syndrome that leads to sleepless and other symptoms that come along are short episode of the muscle failure or weakness, dreamlike hallucinations, a short period or episode f paralysis that’s when one is waking up or falling asleep them lastly there is a disjointed nighttime sleep. The disease and its symptoms usually begins at the age of10 to 20 (Schwartz, 2017). However, in other cases it starts late. Both men and women are affected at the same rate. It approximately affects 1 person out of 2,000 people. It’s a disease that is manageable. The following are types of narcolepsy, narcolepsy with cataplexy and then narcolepsy without cataplexy. The only difference is people who has narcolepsy without cataplexy are affected with sleeplessness. However, faces no muscle weakness. They don’t face severe signs. This are the two types that are today recognized by clinicians. Another rare cases arise with the injury to the hypothalamus, this is usually called secondary narcolepsy.
Causes Narcolepsy
The exact cause of narcolepsy, but researchers and scientist has identified genes that are associated with the condition. This type of gene are specifically in control of the production or yield of the chemicals founded in brain that signals sleep or awake routine or cycles. In other discussion some scientists argue that narcolepsy comes with the deficiency in secretion of the chemical hypocretin in the brain (Schwartz, 2017). In other cases some feel that it due to abnormalities in certain parts of the brain that regulate REM sleep. Then as a result these abnormalities influence the development of those symptoms. Experts feels that narcolepsy is enhanced by varied factors that comes together or relate to cause neurological disorder.
Symptoms of Narcolepsy
Excessive daytime sleepiness, this in many cases interrupt the normal happenings on a regular basis. Most people who suffers from narcolepsy has reported, memory lapse, depressed moods, mental cloudiness, and lastly lack of concentration and also energy. Cataplexy, loss of muscle tone that makes one too weak and also reduced muscle control. Certain part are interfered with such as speech and o can collapse at a given chance. It perhaps depend on the type of muscle as most of the time the act is triggered by different emotions or behaviour such as laughter and surprise. Sleep paralysis, this symptom is accompanied by one not being able to speak in the process of falling asleep or even waking up (Bassetti, 2018)). However, this type of episode are always brief and people recover very first. Hallucination, one experiences lot of delusion and they are.
Sleep disorders contain a variety of psychological ailments which are common in our society in this ppt we have tried to explain the physiopathology clinical manifestations and treatment of the most common sleep disorders
Overweight and obesity are both labels
for ranges of weight that are greater than what is generally
considered healthy for a given height. The terms also identify ranges
of weight that have been shown to increase the likelihood of certain
diseases and other health problems.
Corneal injury describes an injury to the
cornea. The cornea is the crystal clear (transparent) tissue covering the front
of the eye. It works with the lens of the eye to focus images on the retina.
Have you ever had
the "stomach flu?" What you probably had was gastroenteritis - not a
type of flu at all. Gastroenteritis is an inflammation of the lining of the
intestines caused by a virus, bacteria or parasites. Viral gastroenteritis is
the second most common illness in the U.S. It spreads through contaminated food
or water, and contact with an infected person. The best prevention is frequent
hand washing.
Symptoms of
gastroenteritis include diarrhea, abdominal pain, vomiting, headache, fever
and chills. Most people recover with no treatment.
The most common
problem with gastroenteritis is dehydration. This happens if you do not drink
enough fluids to replace what you lose through vomiting and diarrhea. Dehydration
is most common in babies, young children, the elderly and people with weak
immune systems.
Drug addiction is a complex illness characterized by intense and, at times, uncontrollable drug craving, along with compulsive drug seeking and use that persist even in the face of devastating consequences. While the path to drug addiction begins with the voluntary act of taking drugs, over time a person's ability to choose not to do so becomes compromised, and seeking and consuming the drug becomes compulsive. This behavior results largely from the effects of prolonged drug exposure on brain functioning. Addiction is a brain disease that affects multiple brain circuits, including those involved in reward and motivation, learning and memory, and inhibitory control over behavior.
Because drug abuse and addiction have so many dimensions and disrupt so many aspects of an individual's life, treatment is not simple. Effective treatment programs typically incorporate many components, each directed to a particular aspect of the illness and its consequences. Addiction treatment must help the individual stop using drugs, maintain a drug-free lifestyle, and achieve productive functioning in the family, at work, and in society. Because addiction is typically a chronic disease, people cannot simply stop using drugs for a few days and be cured. Most patients require long-term or repeated episodes of care to achieve the ultimate goal of sustained abstinence and recovery of their lives.
Too often, addiction goes untreated: According to SAMHSA's National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 23.2 million persons (9.4 percent of the U.S. population) aged 12 or older needed treatment for an illicit drug or alcohol use problem in 2007. Of these individuals, 2.4 million (10.4 percent of those who needed treatment) received treatment at a specialty facility (i.e., hospital, drug or alcohol rehabilitation or mental health center). Thus, 20.8 million persons (8.4 percent of the population aged 12 or older) needed treatment for an illicit drug or alcohol use problem but did not receive it. These estimates are similar to those in previous years.
Addiction results when a person ingests a
substance (alcohol, cocaine, or nicotine, for example) or repeatedly takes part
in an activity (gambling) that can be pleasurable, but the continued use of
which becomes compulsive and interferes with everyday life.
Common addictions include:
-- Alcohol abuse
-- Drug abuse
-- Exercise abuse
-- Pornography
-- Gambling
Classic symptoms of addiction include
impaired control over substances/behavior, preoccupation with
substance/behavior, continued use despite consequences, and denial. Behavior
patterns and habits associated with addiction are commonly characterized by the
pursuit of immediate gratification, coupled with negative long-term effects.
Physiological dependence results when the
body is unable to function normally in the absence of the substance or
behavior. This state produces the conditions of tolerance and withdrawl.
Tolerance is the result of the body
requiring larger volumes of the substance or stimulus in order to achieve the
original effects.
Withdrawal is the physical and
psychological symptoms experienced when the body no longer receives the
substance in the same quantities it has become reliant upon.
When winter temperatures drop significantly below normal, staying
warm and safe can become a challenge. Extremely cold temperatures
often accompany a winter storm, so you may have to cope with power failures and icy roads. Although staying indoors as much as possible can help reduce the risk of car crashes and falls on the ice, you may also face indoor hazards.
Many homes will be too cold—either due to a power failure or because the heating system isn't adequate for the weather. When people must use space heaters and fireplaces to stay warm, the risk of household fires increases, as well as the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Exposure to cold temperatures, whether indoors or outside, can cause other serious or life-threatening health problems. Infants and the elderly are particularly at risk, but anyone can be affected. To keep yourself and your family safe, you should know how to prevent cold-related health problems and what to do if a cold-weather health emergency arises. The emergency procedures outlined here are not a substitute for training in first aid. However, these procedures will help you to know when to seek medical care and what to do until help becomes available.
Maintaining a healthy office environment requires attention to chemical hazards, equipment and work station design, physical environment (temperature, humidity, light, noise, ventilation, and space), task design, psychological factors (personal interactions, work pace, job control) and sometimes, chemical or other environmental exposures.
A well-designed office allows each employee to work comfortably without needing to over-reach, sit or stand too long, or use awkward postures (correct ergonomic design). Sometimes, equipment or furniture changes are the best solution to allow employees to work comfortably. On other occasions, the equipment may be satisfactory but the task could be redesigned. For example, studies have shown that those working at computers have less discomfort with short, hourly breaks.
Situations in offices that can lead to injury or illness range from physical hazards (such as cords across walkways, leaving low drawers open, objects falling from overhead) to task-related (speed or repetition, duration, job control, etc.), environmental (chemical or biological sources) or design-related hazards (such as nonadjustable furniture or equipment). Job stress that results when the requirements of the job do not match the capabilities or resources of the worker may also result in illness.
When quitting smoking many people feel the need
for help in the form of a tobacco substitute. There are a wide variety of
different products billed as alternatives to smoking that are supposedly healthier.
The main additive in cigarettes that makes them so addictive is
nicotine. Hence most of the products that aim to replace smoking are nicotine
replacements such as nicotine gum, inhalers, patches and medications.
Other products are sold as smokeless tobacco such as snuff and hookah or as better because they are low yield cigarettes. Not all of these smoking substitutes are
healthy or even better than cigarettes.
Tobacco use can lead to nicotine dependence and serious health problems. Cessation can significantly reduce the risk of suffering from smoking-related diseases. Tobacco dependence is a chronic condition that often requires repeated interventions, but effective treatments and helpful resources exist. Smokers can and do quit smoking. In fact, today there are more former smokers than current smokers.
Small changes can make a big difference in reducing your chances of having alcohol-related problems. Whatever strategies you choose, give them a fair trial. If one approach doesn't work, try something else. But if you haven't made progress in cutting down after 2 to 3 months, consider quitting drinking altogether, seeking professional help, or both.
Here are some strategies to try, and you can add your own at the end. Check off perhaps two or three to try in the next week or two. Then click List my choices, and you can print or email them to yourself.
-- Keep track -Keep track of how much you drink. Find a way that works for you, carry drinking tracker cards in your wallet, make check marks on a kitchen calendar, or enter notes in a mobile phone notepad or personal digital assistant. Making note of each drink before you drink it may help you slow down when needed.
-- Count and measure -Know the standard drink sizes so you can count your drinks accurately. Measure drinks at home. Away from home, it can be hard to keep track, especially with mixed drinks, and at times, you may be getting more alcohol than you think. With wine, you may need to ask the host or server not to "top off" a partially filled glass.
-- Set goals -Decide how many days a week you want to drink and how many drinks you'll have on those days. It's a good idea to have some days when you don't drink. Drinkers with the lowest rates of alcohol use disorders stay within the low-risk limits.
-- Pace and space -When you do drink, pace yourself. Sip slowly. Have no more than one standard drink with alcohol per hour. Have "drink spacers"—make every other drink a non-alcoholic one, such as water, soda, or juice.
-- Include food -Don't drink on an empty stomach. Eat some food so the alcohol will be absorbed into your system more slowly.
-- Find alternatives -If drinking has occupied a lot of your time, then fill free time by developing new, healthy activities, hobbies, and relationships, or renewing ones you've missed. If you have counted on alcohol to be more comfortable in social situations, manage moods, or cope with problems, then seek other, healthy ways to deal with those areas of your life.
-- Avoid "triggers." -What triggers your urge to drink? If certain people or places make you drink even when you don't want to, try to avoid them. If certain activities, times of day, or feelings trigger the urge, plan something else to do instead of drinking. If drinking at home is a problem, keep little or no alcohol there.
-- Plan to handle urges -When you cannot avoid a trigger and an urge hits, consider these options: Remind yourself of your reasons for changing (it can help to carry them in writing or store them in an electronic message you can access easily). Or talk things through with someone you trust. Or get involved with a healthy, distracting activity, such as physical exercise or a hobby that doesn't involve drinking. Or, instead of fighting the feeling, accept i
Don't give up
Changing habits such as smoking, overeating, or drinking too much can take a lot of effort, and you may not succeed with the first try. Setbacks are common, but you learn more each time. Each try brings you closer to your goal. Whatever course you choose, give it a fair trial.
If one approach doesn't work, try something else. If a setback happens, get back on track as quickly as possible. In the long run, your chances for success are good.
Research shows that most heavy drinkers, even those with alcoholism, either cut back significantly or quit.
Alcohol withdrawal syndrome is a set of symptoms that people who have a history of alcoholism experience when they stop drinking. People who are casual drinkers rarely have withdrawal symptoms.
People who have gone through withdrawal before are more likely to have withdrawal symptoms each time they quit drinking.
Symptoms of alcohol withdrawal can range from severe to mild, and can include:
-- Insomnia
-- Nightmares
-- Irritability
-- Fatigue
-- Shakes
-- Sweats
-- Anxiety
-- Depression
-- Headaches
-- Decreased appetite
Severe withdrawal symptoms include fever, convulsions and delirium tremens (DTs). Those who experience DTs may become confused, anxious and even have hallucinations. DTs can be very serious if they are not treated by a doctor.
Eat healthy
-- Eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains every day.
-- Limit foods and drinks high in calories, sugar, salt, fat, and alcohol.
-- Eat a balanced diet to help keep a healthy weight.
--
Learn the Facts
When you get a preventive medical test,
you're not just doing it for yourself. You're doing it for your family and
loved ones:
-- Men are 24 percent less likely than women
to have visited a doctor within the past year and are 22 percent more likely to
have neglected their cholesterol tests.
-- Men are 28 percent more likely than women
to be hospitalized for congestive heart failure.
-- Men are 32 percent more likely than women
to be hospitalized for long-term complications of diabetes and are more than
twice as likely than women to have a leg or foot amputated due to complications
related to diabetes.
-- Men are 24 percent more likely than women
to be hospitalized for pneumonia that could have been prevented by getting an
immunization.
The single most important way you can take
care of yourself and those you love is to actively take part in your health
care. Educate yourself on health care and participate in decisions with your
doctor. This site will help you get started.
Learn the Facts
When you get a preventive medical test, you're not just doing it for yourself. You're doing it for your family and loved ones:
-- Men are 24 percent less likely than women to have visited a doctor within the past year and are 22 percent more likely to have neglected their cholesterol tests.
-- Men are 28 percent more likely than women to be hospitalized for congestive heart failure.
-- Men are 32 percent more likely than women to be hospitalized for long-term complications of diabetes and are more than twice as likely than women to have a leg or foot amputated due to complications related to diabetes.
-- Men are 24 percent more likely than women to be hospitalized for pneumonia that could have been prevented by getting an immunization.
The single most important way you can take care of yourself and those you love is to actively take part in your health care. Educate yourself on health care and participate in decisions with your doctor. This site will help you get started.
When you get a preventive medical test, you're not just doing it for yourself. You're doing it for your family and loved ones:
Men are 24 percent less likely than women to have visited a doctor within the past year and are 22 percent more likely to have neglected their cholesterol tests.
Men are 28 percent more likely than women to be hospitalized for congestive heart failure.
Men are 32 percent more likely than women to be hospitalized for long-term complications of diabetes and are more than twice as likely than women to have a leg or foot amputated due to complications related to diabetes.
Men are 24 percent more likely than women to be hospitalized for pneumonia that could have been prevented by getting an immunization.
The single most important way you can take care of yourself and those you love is to actively take part in your health care. Educate yourself on health care and participate in decisions with your doctor. This site will help you get started.
Cancer screening is an essential part of preventative health screening for women of all ages. Here you can read about screening for breast and gynecological cancers.
Injury is the #1 killer of children and teens in the United States. In 2009, more than 9,000 youth age 0-19 died from unintentional injuries in the United States. Millions more children suffer injuries requiring treatment in the emergency department. Leading causes of child injury include motor vehicle crashes, suffocation, drowning, poisoning, fires, and falls.1 Child injury is predictable and preventable. It is also among the most under-recognized public health problems facing our country today.
Progress has been made in preventing child injury. Child injury death rates have decreased 29% in the last decade.2 Yet injury is still the leading cause of death for children and teens. More can be done to keep our children safe.
Shiatsu is a physical therapy that supports
and strengthens the body’s natural ability to heal and balance itself. It works
on the whole person - not just a physical body, but also a psychological,
emotional and spiritual being.
Shiatsu originated in Japan from traditional
Chinese medicine, with influences from more recent Western therapies. Although
shiatsu means ‘finger pressure’ in Japanese, in practise a practitioner uses
touch, comfortable pressure and manipulative techniques to adjust the body’s
physical structure and balance its energy flow. It is a deeply relaxing
experience and regular treatments can alleviate stress and illness and maintain
health and well-being.
1. Fitango Education
Health Topics
Narcolepsy
http://www.fitango.com/categories.php?id=367
2. Overview
Narcolepsy is a chronic disorder of the central
nervous system characterized by the brain's
inability to control sleep-wake cycles. At various
times throughout the day, people with narcolepsy
experience irresistible and sudden bouts of sleep,
which can last from a few seconds to several
minutes.
1
3. Symptoms
People with narcolepsy experience various types of
day- and nighttime sleep problems that are
associated with REM sleep disturbances that tend
to begin subtly and may change dramatically over
time. The most common major symptom, other
than excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), is
cataplexy, which occurs in about 70 percent of all
people with narcolepsy. Sleep paralysis and
hallucinations are somewhat less common. Only
10 to 25 percent of affected individuals, however,
display all four of these maj
2
4. Treatment
Narcolepsy cannot yet be cured. When cataplexy is
present, the loss of hypocretin is believed to be
irreversible and lifelong. But EDS and cataplexy can
be controlled in most individuals with drug
treatment. Modafinil and sodium oxybate are two
drugs that have been approved by the U.S. Food
and Drug Administration for the treatment of
narcolepsy.
3
5. Treatment
Doctors prescribe central nervous system alerting
agents such as modafinil and amphetamine-like
stimulants such as methylphenidate to alleviate
EDS and reduce the incidence of sleep attacks. For
most people these medications are generally quite
effective at reducing daytime drowsiness and
improving levels of alertness. However, these
medications may be associated with several
undesirable side effects so their use must be
carefully monitored. Common side effects include
irritability and nervousne
4
6. Treatment
Two classes of antidepressant drugs have proved
effective in controlling cataplexy in many
individuals: tricyclics (including imipramine,
desipramine, clomipramine, and protriptyline) and
selective serotonin and noradrenergic reuptake
inhibitors (including venlafaxine, fluoxetine and
atomoxetine). In general, antidepressants produce
fewer adverse effects than do amphetamines. But
troublesome side effects still occur in some
individuals, including impotence, high blood
pressure, and heart rhythm
5
7. Treatment
In addition to central nervous system alerting
agents and antidepressants, sodium oxybate or
gamma hydroxybutyrate, also known as GHB or
Xyrem®, can be used to treat narcolepsy. Sodium
oxybate is a strong sedative that must be taken
during the night. Sodium oxybate induces sleep
and reduces the symptoms of daytime sleepiness
and cataplexy. Due to safety concerns associated
with the use of this drug, the distribution of
sodium oxybate is tightly restricted.
6
