Addressing Unmet Diagnostic and Treatment Needs in Narcolepsy

OVERVIEW

Narcolepsy is far more than excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and causes significant morbidity that negatively impacts patient quality of life, functioning, and autonomy. Its presenting symptoms beyond EDS can include cataplexy, disrupted nighttime sleep (DNS), sleep paralysis, and hypnagogic and/or hypnopompic hallucinations. Most patients do not know about the other symptoms and so do not volunteer this information, but cataplexy, in particular, is a hallmark feature of narcolepsy. Diagnostic delays and persistent unmet needs leave many patients struggling for years and possibly endanger patients before they receive appropriate care. These missed or misdiagnoses incur medical/economic costs due to disability and increased healthcare utilization, including more frequent visits across multiple medical specialties, as well as higher rates of emergency department use and hospitalizations, and incorrect or unnecessary treatments. In this highly interactive program, sleep medicine experts will combine evidence-based case discussions with an animated mechanism-of-action segment and authentic patient video stories to bring the science and lived experience of narcolepsy to life. A featured highlight is Dr. Ortiz, a sleep specialist who lives with narcolepsy himself, offering a rare and powerful perspective as both clinician and patient on the challenges of diagnosis, treatment, and living with the disease. Together, these experiences will equip frontline clinicians to recognize narcolepsy earlier and apply emerging treatment strategies with greater confidence. For additional activities and resources, please visit narcolepsy-ce.com.

This activity is intended for primary care, family medicine, internal medicine, and other general practice providers.​

• Characterize the burden that NT1, its symptoms, and delayed diagnosis has on clinical outcomes, patient safety, and QoL ​
• Review the role of orexin signaling in the pathophysiology of NT1 and as a target for disease-specific therapy​
• Explain current evidence on ORX2-targeting therapies for NT1 and how they compare to symptom-specific conventional therapies​
• Identify features/symptoms consistent with NT1 using clinical history, patient interviews, exam findings, and screening tools appropriate for primary care/internal medicine ​
• Describe when and how to initiate diagnostic testing and specialty referral for patients with suspected NT1​

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Commercial Support

Supported by an educational grant from Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.​

Provider

This program is jointly provided by AKH Inc., Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare and Catalyst Medical Education, LLC.