Although there is no cure for narcolepsy, a number of treatment options are available. Treatment should be individualized based on the severity of symptoms. It can take weeks or months before an optimal regimen is achieved, although complete control of EDS and cataplexy is rarely possible. For example, patient education is an important component of any treatment plan for narcolepsy. Good sleep habits, the avoidance of sleep deprivation and/or irregular sleep patterns, and the scheduling of short naps (10–15 min) two to three times per day can help control EDS and improve alertness. Patients should be warned about the potential hazards of sleepiness relative to driving and working in hazardous settings (Thorpy,2007).
Furthermore, if narcoleptic patients and their families come to understand the neurological nature of narcolepsy, the clinician can minimize problems for the patient stemming from common misconceptions concerning low intelligence and poor motivation. The clinician should also explain that symptoms can spontaneously worsen or improve. Many patients report that …show more content…
As the multifaceted nature of the condition becomes more explicit, the evidence for its having a neurodegenerative aetiology is strengthened. The speed of advances in understanding the condition requires nurses to remain contemporary in their narcolepsy knowledge and the evidence-informed strategies of care. The traditional view that narcolepsy is confined to affecting sleep is too narrow, as significant effects have been observed on mental health, metabolism, cognition, autonomic functioning and pain. This expanded insight into the condition demonstrates the impact on health-related quality of life, highlighting how people with narcolepsy require supportive, insightful and innovative nurses to advocate and implement effective treatments to offset the debilitating nature of the condition (Cook,
Furthermore, if narcoleptic patients and their families come to understand the neurological nature of narcolepsy, the clinician can minimize problems for the patient stemming from common misconceptions concerning low intelligence and poor motivation. The clinician should also explain that symptoms can spontaneously worsen or improve. Many patients report that …show more content…
As the multifaceted nature of the condition becomes more explicit, the evidence for its having a neurodegenerative aetiology is strengthened. The speed of advances in understanding the condition requires nurses to remain contemporary in their narcolepsy knowledge and the evidence-informed strategies of care. The traditional view that narcolepsy is confined to affecting sleep is too narrow, as significant effects have been observed on mental health, metabolism, cognition, autonomic functioning and pain. This expanded insight into the condition demonstrates the impact on health-related quality of life, highlighting how people with narcolepsy require supportive, insightful and innovative nurses to advocate and implement effective treatments to offset the debilitating nature of the condition (Cook,