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The increased frequency of comorbidities among people with narcolepsy should be thoroughly reviewed while creating individualized management strategies. Comorbidities that are more prevalent in patients with narcolepsy include psychiatric and sleep conditions, as well as cardiovascular and cardiometabolic conditions. Hypocretin dysfunction in patients with narcolepsy may partially explain the increased risk of certain comorbidities in these patients. An increased prevalence of cardiovascular and cardiometabolic conditions, such as hypertension, obesity, diabetes, and hypercholesterolemia have been reported in people with narcolepsy compared with matched controls. One interview study of 320 patients with narcolepsy and 1464 age-matched individuals from the general population identified that the odds of heart disease in patients with narcolepsy (5.9%) were twice that compared to the age-matched general population (2.9%) (AOR, 2.07 [95% CI, 1.22 to 3.51]). By an average age of 38 (mean age during study), an increased incidence of cardiovascular comorbidities has been observed among patients with narcolepsy compared with matched non-narcolepsy controls.

This episode is produced by Sleep Review and is episode 3 of a 5-part series sponsored by Jazz Pharmaceuticals. Visit Jazzpharma.com and NarcolepsyLink.com for more information. 

In episode 3, listen as Sleep Review’s Sree Roy and neurologist-sleep specialist W. Chris Winter, MD, discuss:

What comorbidities do you typically see in patients who are newly diagnosed with narcolepsy?
What about comorbidities that tend to develop over time in people with narcolepsy?
What health conditions do you screen for when you have a patient who is newly diagnosed with narcolepsy?
How, if at all, does the existence or emergence of comorbidities impact decision making?
Can you share any best practices for monitoring the emergence and management of narcolepsy-related comorbidities?
What other specialists and healthcare professionals do you recommend sleep physicians develop reliable referrals with to adequately manage comorbidities in their patients with narcolepsy?
Are there any particular screening tools such as specific questionnaires that you'd recommend to other sleep physicians for this demographic?