Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2007;21(4):337-54.
doi: 10.2165/00023210-200721040-00007.

Sodium oxybate: a review of its use in the management of narcolepsy

Dean M Robinson  1 , Gillian M Keating
Affiliations
Review

Sodium oxybate: a review of its use in the management of narcolepsy

Dean M Robinson et al. CNS Drugs. 2007.

Erratum in

  • CNS Drugs. 2007;21(8):692

Abstract

Sodium oxybate (Xyrem) is the sodium salt of the CNS depressant gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) and is therefore subject to prescription restrictions. It is approved in the US for the treatment of cataplexy and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) in patients with narcolepsy, and in the EU for the treatment of narcolepsy with cataplexy. Sodium oxybate is generally well tolerated and effective in the treatment of symptoms of narcolepsy with cataplexy. While its short half-life necessitates twice-nightly administration, it is highly effective in reducing the frequency of cataplexy, improving sleep architecture and reducing EDS in patients with narcolepsy. Sodium oxybate therefore offers a valuable alternative or addition to the use of TCAs, SSRIs and stimulants in the treatment of the symptoms of narcolepsy including cataplexy and EDS.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

  • Sodium oxybate for narcolepsy.
    Scharf MB. Scharf MB. Expert Rev Neurother. 2006 Aug;6(8):1139-46. doi: 10.1586/14737175.6.8.1139. Expert Rev Neurother. 2006. PMID: 16893342 Review.
  • The use of sodium oxybate to treat narcolepsy.
    Mayer G. Mayer G. Expert Rev Neurother. 2012 May;12(5):519-29. doi: 10.1586/ern.12.42. Expert Rev Neurother. 2012. PMID: 22550980 Review.
  • An evaluation of sodium oxybate as a treatment option for narcolepsy.
    Abad VC. Abad VC. Expert Opin Pharmacother. 2019 Jul;20(10):1189-1199. doi: 10.1080/14656566.2019.1617273. Epub 2019 May 28. Expert Opin Pharmacother. 2019. PMID: 31136215 Review.
  • EFNS guidelines on management of narcolepsy.
    Billiard M, Bassetti C, Dauvilliers Y, Dolenc-Groselj L, Lammers GJ, Mayer G, Pollmächer T, Reading P, Sonka K; EFNS Task Force. Billiard M, et al. Eur J Neurol. 2006 Oct;13(10):1035-48. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-1331.2006.01473.x. Eur J Neurol. 2006. PMID: 16987156
  • Sodium oxybate for cataplexy.
    Lemon MD, Strain JD, Farver DK. Lemon MD, et al. Ann Pharmacother. 2006 Mar;40(3):433-40; quiz 581-2. doi: 10.1345/aph.1G456. Epub 2006 Feb 28. Ann Pharmacother. 2006. PMID: 16507620 Review.
See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. Pharmacotherapy. 2001 Dec;21(12):1486-513 - PubMed
    1. Ann Pharmacother. 2006 Mar;40(3):433-40; quiz 581-2 - PubMed
    1. Sleep Med. 2004 Mar;5(2):119-23 - PubMed
    1. Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 1993;45(4):353-6 - PubMed
    1. Sleep. 2006 May;29(5):601-2 - PubMed

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources