TITLE:
Ventricular Tachycardia during Treatment with Modafinil for Narcolepsy: A Case Report
AUTHORS:
Heleen Binnenmars, Herman H. D. Idzerda, Hanno L. Tan, Gerard C. M. Linssen
KEYWORDS:
Modafinil; Narcolepsy; Ventricular Tachycardia
JOURNAL NAME:
International Journal of Clinical Medicine,
Vol.3 No.6,
November
22,
2012
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.