Modalert 200 mg tablet is a central nervous system stimulant that increases wakefulness and reduces extreme sleepiness. Patients should not drive or operate machinery while taking this medicine.

Excessive sleepiness is a prominent symptom of many disorders that affect sleep and wakefulness. The most common disorders that manifest this symptom are narcolepsy, shift work disorder, and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

Narcolepsy

Excessive daytime sleepiness is the main symptom of narcolepsy. People with narcolepsy often fall asleep during regular activities like reading, eating, or driving without warning. During these lapses in attention, they may lose their ability to focus and sometimes forget what they did. In addition, narcoleptics have episodes of sudden loss of muscle tone that cause them to become weak and sometimes unconscious. These episodes are called cataplexy and can lead to slurred speech, buckling knees, or, in severe cases, complete paralysis. These episodes are usually triggered by strong emotions such as anger, surprise, or joy.

Taking frequent, short naps that are evenly spaced throughout the day is one of the best ways to treat excessive daytime sleepiness. Keeping to a regular sleep schedule, going to bed, and waking up at the same time every day, can also help. Avoiding caffeine and alcohol before bed can improve sleep quality as well.

Seeing your doctor for diagnosis and treatment of narcolepsy is the most effective way to manage symptoms. They will ask questions about your history with narcolepsy and perform a physical exam. They may also have you do a multiple sleep latency test (MSLT) and/or an actigraphy to measure sleep patterns. These tests will determine how long it takes you to fall asleep, whether or not you enter REM sleep during your naps, and how many times you wake up during the night.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) is one of the most common patient complaints seen in sleep clinics and affects a substantial percentage of the general population. It can be a major obstacle to daily functioning and can result in motor vehicle or work-related accidents. It is also associated with an increased risk of psychiatric conditions, including depression and anxiety, and can negatively impact health-related quality of life.

Obstructive sleep apnea is the leading cause of EDS, with between 26 and 32 percent of adults at risk. This condition causes a variety of symptoms, including snoring, interrupted breathing, and choking or gasping during sleep. It is often associated with obesity and a history of sedating medications or alcohol use. In addition, it has been shown to cause cognitive deficits.

The objective of this study was to determine whether modalert reduces EDS in obstructive sleep apnea patients who are not responding to continuous positive airway pressure therapy. The study included a screening visit, an observation period, and a 4-week double-blind treatment phase. Recruited patients were screened for obstructive sleep apnea by clinical evaluation, including snoring and daytime sleepiness, and were randomly assigned to either treatment with Modafinil Australia or placebo.

All participants had a previous diagnosis of narcolepsy and had historical nocturnal polysomnography data and Multiple Sleep Latency Test results that demonstrated a response to CPAP therapy, but with residual late-afternoon or evening sleepiness. They also had a Clinical Global Impression of Severity rating of >= 4 (moderately ill) concerning sleepiness on night shifts and during the commute home from work.

Shift Work Disorder

Working night shifts or on a rotating schedule outside of the more common nine-to-five work pattern can disrupt circadian rhythms, affecting your ability to sleep during the day. It’s more difficult for people with these kinds of schedules to get enough quality sleep, leading to insomnia and extreme sleepiness during waking hours.

In some cases, this can affect your performance at work. For example, a study published in The Journal of Sleep Research[34] found that sleep-deprived nurses made more medication errors than well-rested nurses. They also had lower scores on tests of autobiographical memory, indicating that they had trouble remembering specific events or details.

A person can be diagnosed with Shift Work Disorder if they’ve experienced insomnia or excessive sleepiness for more than three months that interferes with their daily functioning and is associated with shift work. They must also have documented circadian and sleep-wake misalignment based on a sleep log or diary, actigraphy monitoring, or laboratory or sleep recordings for more than 14 days (work and nonwork days). The disturbance cannot be better explained by another sleep disorder; a medical or neurologic disorder; a psychiatric disorder; substance use disorder; or medication use.

If you suffer from shift work sleep disorder, you can try to manage your symptoms by following a sleep schedule and taking naps on your off days. A doctor might recommend a wrist monitoring device called an actigraph to gather more data about your sleep patterns.

Cognitive Enhancement

A lack of good-quality sleep can lead to several health problems, including decreased energy, irritability, and difficulty concentrating. It can also increase the risk of motor vehicle accidents, work-related incidents, and psychiatric disorders. Sleep disturbances are often associated with depression and anxiety, and can exacerbate these conditions. Poor quality sleep can also cause or aggravate medical problems such as heart disease, osteoarthritis, and diabetes.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), the fifth edition of the American Psychiatric Association, includes a chapter on sleep disorders. A symptom of some disorders is excessive daytime sleepiness. This can occur as a result of narcolepsy, obstructive sleep apnea, shift work disorder, or circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorders.

In addition to a history and physical examination, other tests are needed before a diagnosis can be made. These include a patient-completed questionnaire (such as the Epworth Sleepiness Scale or Stanford Sleepiness Questionnaire), a clinical examination, and polysomnography to test for sleep disorders.

Modalert is indicated for use in patients with chronic excessive sleepiness associated with narcolepsy, obstructive snoring, and shift work disorder (SWD). The drug has demonstrated efficacy by improving wakefulness during the day and night as measured by multiple sleep latency testing, with or without nocturnal polysomnography, in narcolepsy, SWD, and OSAHS patients.

It is also an effective treatment for obstructive apnea induced by SWD and narcolepsy in combination with standard therapies that address the underlying snoring and/or apnea (PROVIGIL(r) 2007). A Clinical Global Impression of Change score at screening and three months after initiating therapy determines whether the patient has responded to modalert, as assessed by the investigator.