Ventricular Tachycardia during Treatment with Modafinil for Narcolepsy: A Case Report

Heleen Binnenmars, Herman H. D. Idzerda, Hanno L. Tan, Gerard C. M. Linssen

Department of Cardiology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Department of Cardiology, Hospital Group Twente, Almelo, The Netherlands.

DOI: 10.4236/ijcm.2012.36092                

Abstract

Pharmacological treatment of narcolepsy is complex. We reported a case of recurrent episodes of polymorphic ventricular tachycardia attributed to the use of modafinil, a recently approved wake-promoting agent for narcolepsy and shift work sleep disorder. Modafinil is also approved as adjunctive treatment of obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome. While the exact mechanism of action for modafinil is not known, central dopamine receptors seem to play an essential role. Adverse influences on the electrocardiogram (ECG) or drug-related cardiac arrhythmias are rarely reported, but are considered as clinically important.

Keywords

Modafinil; Narcolepsy; Ventricular Tachycardia

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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