Modalert 200 Tablet is used in the treatment of excessive daytime sleepiness (narcolepsy) and obstructive sleep apnea. It promotes wakefulness and has cognitive-enhancing properties. It also has mood-enhancing effects.
It should be taken at a fixed time each day to maintain the same level of medicine in your blood stream. Do not stop taking it suddenly unless you tell your doctor.
What is Modafinil?
Modafinil is a wakefulness-promoting drug that works by stimulating the central nervous system. It is available as a 100-mg or 200-mg tablet and is typically taken once daily in the morning. It can be taken with or without food, but consuming meals may affect how quickly the medication starts to work.
In clinical trials, Modafinil significantly decreased excessive sleepiness in people with narcolepsy and obstructive sleep apnea. It also improved wakefulness in people with shift work sleep disorder and reduced obstructive sleep apnea-related daytime sleepiness and the occurrence of obstructive events during sleep. In addition, it helped improve wakefulness and performance on a driving simulator test in patients with obstructive sleep apnea who were receiving standard treatment such as CPAP therapy.
This medication helps improve wakefulness in sleep disorders, but it does not treat the underlying condition. You should continue to get enough sleep, follow your doctor’s sleep guidelines, and use any breathing devices recommended for you. Also, keep in mind that this medication can make you dizzy, so don’t drive or do other activities that require alertness until you know how it affects you.
You should also avoid drinking alcoholic beverages or smoking (cannabis) while taking this medication. Keep this medication in a safe place and out of the reach of children. Do not flush it down the toilet or pour it into a drain unless instructed to do so by your doctor.
How Does Modafinil Work?
Modafinil 200mg Online is a wake-promoting medication FDA-approved to treat sleepiness associated with narcolepsy, shift work disorder, and obstructive sleep apnea. Unlike traditional stimulants, it promotes wakefulness by affecting several neurotransmitter systems. Specifically, it affects the noradrenergic, dopaminergic (specifically by inhibiting the dopamine transporter), and GABAergic pathways of the brain.
In clinical studies, it has been shown to increase alertness and performance in humans during sleep deprivation, similar to the effect of caffeine. It has also been found to enhance cognitive functions in healthy volunteers, such as planning, decision-making and problem-solving. It is believed to be the first pharmaceutical nootropic agent—a drug that enhances human cognition independent of its effects on sleep disorders, although the exact mechanism is unclear.
More recently, Modafinil has been used as an adjunct treatment for sleep apnea. It has been shown to reduce residual daytime sleepiness in patients with obstructive sleep apnea and hyposomnia who are regular users of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy. The use of this medication is a valuable addition to a comprehensive treatment plan for sleep apnea, and it should be incorporated into patient care plans that include CPAP therapy.
However, Modafinil should never be used as a substitute for a diagnostic polysomnogram for obstructive sleep apnea. Even EDS that does not respond to CPAP should be confirmed with this diagnostic test to ensure that the patient has a genuine, biologically-based complaint of sleepiness that is responsive to specific treatment, such as CPAP therapy.
What Are the Side Effects of Modafinil?
In a clinical trial, modafinil significantly improved daytime sleepiness in men with untreated mild to moderate OSA.3-4 This improvement in ESS was similar to that seen with CPAP treatment. Other quality-of-life measures were also improved.
Modafinil has some side effects, including an increased heart rate, headache, dizziness, nausea, and tremors. Some people may also develop a skin rash. If you experience any of these side effects, contact your doctor immediately. Modafinil may interact with other medications, so be sure to tell your doctor about all of the products you take, especially if they are nonprescription drugs or herbs. It is not recommended to take this medication with any other stimulants or with a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI). It can increase the side effects of these drugs.
Modalert is approved by the FDA for narcolepsy, shift work sleep disorder, and obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome in conjunction with CPAP therapy. It is also used off-label for a number of other conditions that cause excessive daytime sleepiness. The FDA has not yet approved modafinil for the treatment of OA, but a drug called solriamfetol, which is an R-enantiomer of modafinil and acts as a dopamine/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, has been shown to improve wakefulness in patients with OA. It is expected to be available for this use in 2023.
Does Modafinil Work Well for Sleep Apnea?
The wakefulness-promoting effects of Modafinil have been explored as a treatment for sleep apnea, which is characterized by repetitive interruptions in breathing due to the collapse of the upper airway. The most common forms of sleep apnea are obstructive and central. Both types of sleep apnea can result in excessive daytime sleepiness, a key symptom that Modafinil is known to address.
Studies have shown that Modafinil improves daytime alertness in patients with untreated mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea. The improvement in subjective sleepiness (measured by MWT, MSLT, and ESS) is modest but clinically meaningful. Driving simulator performance and reaction time also improved.