Pharmacological management of narcolepsy.
Narcolepsy is a disabling disorder characterised by excessive daytime sleepiness, cataplexy, hypnagogic hallucinations, sleep paralysis and disturbed nocturnal sleep. Traditionally, a wide variety of substances are used in the symptomatic pharmacological treatment of narcolepsy. Several generally more-tolerated substances have been added to the therapeutic repertoire after extensive testing in large patient populations during recent years. This review addresses the state-of-the-art knowledge about the pharmacological treatment of narcolepsy along with the personal view of the authors. The recent discovery that narcolepsy is caused by deficient hypocretin (orexin) transmission opens a perspective on causal therapy.
Lammers
Gert Jan
GJ
Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, Leiden University Medical Centre, PO Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands. G.J.Lammers@lumc.nl
Overeem
Sebastiaan
S
D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D009290:Narcolepsy / Q000188:drug therapy*
D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants