title: Problems associated with switch to modafinil - a novel alerting agent in narcolepsy.
abstract: Modafinil is a novel medication recently approved for the treatment of narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia. Commonly, patients had already been prescribed medications for their syndrome. This report outlines difficulties encountered in the clinical practice of switching patients to modafinil. Naïve subjects accepted modafinil best. Subjects withdrawn from amphetamine had the most problems and failure to withdraw. Venlafaxine hydrochloride combined well with modafinil to control cataplectic attacks. Usage of a progressive withdrawal protocol may ease the difficulties observed.
authors.affiliation: Stanford Sleep Disorders Clinic and Research Center, CA 94605, USA. c.guil@leland.stanford.edu
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Guilleminault
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Aftab
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Karadeniz
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Philip
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Leger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000662:Amphetamines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004347:Drug Interactions / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000077408:Modafinil; D009290:Narcolepsy / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014851:Wakefulness / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000662:Amphetamines; D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D004338:Drug Combinations; D000077408:Modafinil