Pharmacotherapy for cataplexy☆

Abstract

A variety of medications representing several major drug classes improve cataplexy in patients with narcolepsy. These include aminergic reuptake inhibitors such as venlafaxine and clomipramine as well as sodium oxybate. This review is intended to familiarize readers with the safety and efficacy of these medications, thus enabling clinicians to optimize their management of cataplexy.

Keywords: Narcolepsy, Cataplexy, Pharmacotherapy, Anticataplectics, Review

a Orphan Medical, Inc., Medical Affairs, 13911 Ridgedale Drive, Suite 250, Minnetonka, MN 55305, USA

b Harvard Institutes of Medicine, Room 821, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 77 Ave. Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA 02115, USA

c Montefiore Medical Center, 111 East 210th Street, Bronx, NY 10467, USA

Corresponding author. Tel.: +1-952-513-6900; fax: +1-952-541-9209

☆ Dr. Houghton is an employee of Orphan Medical Inc, manufacturers of sodium oxybate. Dr. Scammell has received honoraria and grant support from Orphan Medical Inc. Dr Thorpy is on the Speakers Bureau for Orphan Medical Inc and Cephalon

1 Tel.: +1-617-667-0833; fax: +1-617-667-0810.

2 Tel.: +1-718-920-4841; fax: +1-718-798-4352.

PII: S1087-0792(04)00006-1

doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2004.01.004

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