Narcolepsy

For use within the specialist sleep service for the treatment of narcolepsy with or without cataplexy provided that:

• The patient  has failed to adequately respond to or cannot tolerate modafenil and/or methylphenidate;
• they have residual severe excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) with an Epworth sleep score (ESS) of 14 or over;
• The patient is reviewed within 4 months and only those patients showing a 3 point or more reduction on the ESS scale continue on treatment.
• Blueteq initiation and continuation forms are completed whilst the patient remains on treatment.

Narcolepsy should be diagnosed and treatment initiated by a sleep specialist.

The specialist will initiate and titrate the dose according to response which may take up to three months.  Patients who respond to treatment are suitable for shared care once their dose has been stabilised.