Protriptyline: an effective agent in the treatment of the narcolepsy-cataplexy syndrome and hypersomnia.
The authors present five case reports illustrating that 10-20 mg of protriptyline in a single dose at bedtime can effectively control arousal dysfunction (sleep drunkenness and hypersomnia) and the narcolepsycataplexy syndrome without the apparent development of tolerance and without the side effects that are frequent complications of treatment with other agents. Although protriptyline was efficacious in controlling symptoms, it was found to have relatively poor REM sleep-suppressing properties.
D000328:Adult; D002385:Cataplexy / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003986:Dibenzocycloheptenes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006970:Disorders of Excessive Somnolence / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004325:Dreams / Q000187:drug effects; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006212:Hallucinations / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009290:Narcolepsy / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010389:Pemoline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011530:Protriptyline / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012894:Sleep Stages / Q000187:drug effects; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012895:Sleep, REM / Q000187:drug effects
D003986:Dibenzocycloheptenes; D011530:Protriptyline; D010389:Pemoline