Sodium Oxybate: Practical Considerations and Patient Perspectives.

Abstract

Narcolepsy is a rare, chronic sleep disorder with significant impacts on the quality of life of people affected by the disorder. People with narcolepsy (PWN) are a diverse patient population with evolving symptoms, comorbidities, and perspectives. As PWN have varying needs, clinicians should consider a more personalized approach to therapy, including active participation of PWN in their care and shared decision-making between patient and clinician to achieve optimal outcomes. In this review, we discuss the various characteristics and challenges of PWN, present illustrative clinical case scenarios of PWN, provide clinicians with a proposed framework to best address therapy for PWN, and demystify concerns with sodium oxybate.