Practice parameters for the use of stimulants in the treatment of narcolepsy. Standards of Practice Committee of the American Sleep Disorders Association

Abstract

Narcolepsy is a disorder of the central nervous system characterized by excessive sleepiness, cataplexy, and other rapid-eye-movement (REM)-sleep phenomena such as sleep paralysis and hypnagogic hallucinations. Although stimulants are the only effective treatment for the sleepiness of narcolepsy, no clinical guidelines on the use of stimulants in the treatment of narcolepsy have been published that address the following factors: appropriate doses; development of tolerance; potential for side effects, adverse reactions and abuse; and use in children and pregnant or breast-feeding women. These practice parameters from the American Sleep Disorders Association provide the first clinical guidelines on the appropriate use of stimulants in the treatment of narcolepsy.