Nuvigil 50, 150, 250 mg

/ Abic

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) and Narcolepsy: The recommended dosage of NUVIGIL for patients with OSA or narcolepsy is 150 mg to 250 mg taken orally once a day as a single dose in the morning. In patients with OSA, doses up to 250 mg/day, given as a single dose, have been well tolerated, but there is no consistent evidence that these doses confer additional benefit beyond that of the 150 mg/day dose.
Shift Work Disorder (SWD): The recommended dosage of NUVIGIL for patients with SWD is 150 mg taken orally once a day as a single dose approximately 1 hour prior to the start of their work shift.
Dosage Modification in Patients with Severe Hepatic Impairment: In patients with severe hepatic impairment, the dosage of NUVIGIL should be reduced.
Use in Geriatric Patients: Consideration should be given to the use of lower doses and close monitoring in geriatric patients.

Armodafinil is indicated to improve wakefulness in adult patients with excessive sleepiness associated with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), narcolepsy, or shift work disorder (SWD).
Limitations of Use: In OSA, NUVIGIL is indicated to treat excessive sleepiness and not as treatment for the underlying obstruction. If continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is the treatment of choice for a patient, a maximal effort to treat with CPAP for an adequate period of time should be made prior to initiating NUVIGIL for excessive sleepiness.

NUVIGIL is contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to modafinil or armodafinil or its inactive ingredients.

Serious Dermatologic Reactions, including Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrosis: Serious rash requiring hospitalization and discontinuation of treatment has been reported in association with the use of NUVIGIL (armodafinil) or modafinil (the racemic mixture of S- and R-enantiomers). NUVIGIL has not been studied in pediatric patients in any setting and is not approved for use in pediatric patients for any indication. In clinical trials of modafinil, the incidence of rash resulting in discontinuation was approximately 0.8% (13 per 1,585) in pediatric patients (age <17 years); these rashes included 1 case of possible Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and 1 case of apparent multi-organ hypersensitivity reaction/ Drug Rash with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS). Several of the cases were associated with fever and other abnormalities (e.g., vomiting, leukopenia). The median time to rash that resulted in discontinuation was 13 days. No such cases were observed among 380 pediatric patients who received placebo. Skin and mouth sores, blistering and ulceration have been reported with modafinil and NUVIGIL in the postmarketing setting. Recurrence of signs and symptoms of serious dermatologic reactions following rechallenge has been reported in some cases. Rare cases of serious or life-threatening rash, including SJS and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), have been reported in adults and children in worldwide postmarketing experience with modafinil and NUVIGIL. There are no factors, including duration of therapy, that are known to predict the risk of occurrence or the severity of rash associated with modafinil or NUVIGIL. In cases where the time to onset was reported, serious rash occurred 1 day to 2 months after initiation of treatment, but isolated cases of serious dermatologic reactions have been reported with symptoms beginning after prolonged treatment (e.g., 3 months). Although benign rashes also occur with NUVIGIL, it is not possible to reliably predict which rashes will prove to be serious. Accordingly, NUVIGIL should be discontinued at the first sign of rash, skin or mouth sores, or blistering or ulceration, unless the rash is clearly not drug-related. Discontinuation of treatment may not prevent a rash from becoming life-threatening or permanently disabling or disfiguring.
Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and System Symptoms (DRESS)/ Multiorgan Hypersensitivity: DRESS, also known as multi-organ hypersensitivity, has been reported with NUVIGIL. DRESS typically, although not exclusively, presents with fever, rash, lymphadenopathy, and/or facial swelling, in association with other organ system involvement, such as hepatitis, nephritis, hematologic abnormalities, myocarditis, or myositis, sometimes resembling an acute viral infection. Eosinophilia is often present. This disorder is variable in its expression, and other organ systems not noted here may be involved. It is important to note that early manifestations of hypersensitivity (e.g., fever, lymphadenopathy) may be present even though rash is not evident. One fatal case of DRESS that occurred in close temporal association (3 weeks) with the initiation of NUVIGIL treatment has been reported in the postmarketing setting. In addition, multi-organ hypersensitivity reactions, including at least one fatality in postmarketing experience, have occurred in close temporal association (median time to detection 13 days; range 4-33) to the initiation of modafinil. Although there have been a limited number of reports, multi-organ hypersensitivity reactions may result in hospitalization or be life-threatening. If a multi-organ hypersensitivity reaction is suspected, NUVIGIL should be discontinued. Although there are no case reports to indicate cross-sensitivity with other drugs that produce this syndrome, the experience with drugs associated with multi-organ hypersensitivity would indicate this to be a possibility.
Angioedema and Anaphylaxis Reactions: Angioedema and hypersensitivity (with rash, dysphagia, and bronchospasm), were observed with NUVIGIL. Patients should be advised to discontinue therapy and immediately report to their physician any signs or symptoms suggesting angioedema or anaphylaxis (e.g., swelling of face, eyes, lips, tongue or larynx; difficulty in swallowing or breathing; hoarseness).
Persistent Sleepiness: Patients with abnormal levels of sleepiness who take NUVIGIL should be advised that their level of wakefulness may not return to normal. Patients with excessive sleepiness, including those taking NUVIGIL, should be frequently reassessed for their degree of sleepiness and, if appropriate, advised to avoid driving or any other potentially dangerous activity. Prescribers should also be aware that patients may not acknowledge sleepiness or drowsiness until directly questioned about drowsiness or sleepiness during specific activities.
Psychiatric Symptoms :In pre-approval narcolepsy, OSA and SWD controlled trials of NUVIGIL, anxiety, agitation, nervousness, and irritability were reasons for treatment discontinuation more often in patients on NUVIGIL compared to placebo (NUVIGIL 1.2% and placebo 0.3%). Depression was also a reason for treatment discontinuation more often in patients on NUVIGIL compared to placebo (NUVIGIL 0.6% and placebo 0.2%). Cases of suicidal ideation were observed in clinical trials. Caution should be exercised when NUVIGIL is given to patients with a history of psychosis, depression, or mania. If psychiatric symptoms develop in association with NUVIGIL administration, consider discontinuing NUVIGIL. Psychiatric adverse reactions have been reported in patients treated with modafinil. Modafinil and NUVIGIL (armodafinil) are very closely related. Therefore, the incidence and type of psychiatric symptoms associated with NUVIGIL are expected to be similar to the incidence and type of these events with modafinil. Postmarketing adverse reactions associated with the use of NUVIGIL, some of which have resulted in hospitalization, have included mania, delusions, hallucinations, suicidal ideation, and aggression. Many, but not all, patients who developed psychiatric adverse reactions had a prior psychiatric history. In these cases, reported NUVIGIL total daily doses ranged from 50 mg to 450 mg, which includes doses below and above the recommended dosages.
Effects on Ability to Drive and Use Machinery: Although NUVIGIL has not been shown to produce functional impairment, any drug affecting the central nervous system (CNS) may alter judgment, thinking or motor skills. Patients should be cautioned about operating an automobile or other hazardous machinery until it is reasonably certain that NUVIGIL therapy will not adversely affect their ability to engage in such activities.
Cardiovascular Events: In clinical studies of modafinil, cardiovascular adverse reactions, including chest pain, palpitations, dyspnea and transient ischemic T-wave changes on ECG were observed in three subjects in association with mitral valve prolapse or left ventricular hypertrophy. It is recommended that NUVIGIL tablets not be used in patients with a history of left ventricular hypertrophy or in patients with mitral valve prolapse who have experienced the mitral valve prolapse syndrome when previously receiving CNS stimulants. Findings suggestive of mitral valve prolapse syndrome include but are not limited to ischemic ECG changes, chest pain, or arrhythmia. If new onset of any of these findings occurs, consider cardiac evaluation. Blood pressure monitoring in short term (≤ 3 months) pre-approval controlled trials of OSA, SWD, and narcolepsy showed small average increases in mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure in patients receiving NUVIGIL as compared to placebo (1.2 to 4.3 mmHg in the various experimental groups). There was also a slightly greater proportion of patients on NUVIGIL requiring new or increased use of antihypertensive medications (2.9%) compared to patients on placebo (1.8%). There was a small, but consistent, average increase in pulse rate over placebo in pre-approval controlled trials. This increase varied from 0.9 to 3.5 BPM. Increased monitoring of heart rate and blood pressure may be appropriate in patients on NUVIGIL. Caution should be exercised when prescribing NUVIGIL to patients with known cardiovascular disease.
Excipients with known effects: Patients with rare hereditary problems of galactose intolerance, total lactase deficiency or glucose-galactose malabsorption should not take this medicine. This medicine contains less than 1 mmol sodium (23 mg) per tablet, that is to say essentially ‘sodium-free’.

Most Common Adverse Reactions In the placebo-controlled clinical trials, the most common adverse reactions (≥ 5%) associated with the use of NUVIGIL more frequently than in placebo-treated patients were headache, nausea, dizziness, and insomnia.
See prescribing information for full details.

Effects of NUVIGIL on CYP3A4/5 Substrates: The clearance of drugs that are substrates for CYP3A4/5 (e.g., steroidal contraceptives, cyclosporine, midazolam, and triazolam) may be increased by NUVIGIL via induction of metabolic enzymes, which results in lower systemic exposure. Dosage adjustment of these drugs should be considered when these drugs are used concomitantly with NUVIGIL. The effectiveness of steroidal contraceptives may be reduced when used with NUVIGIL and for two months after discontinuation of therapy. Alternative or concomitant methods of contraception are recommended for patients taking steroidal contraceptives (e.g., ethinyl estradiol) when treated concomitantly with NUVIGIL and for two months after discontinuation of NUVIGIL treatment. Blood levels of cyclosporine may be reduced when used with NUVIGIL. Monitoring of circulating cyclosporine concentrations and appropriate dosage adjustment for cyclosporine should be considered when used concomitantly with NUVIGIL.
Effects of NUVIGIL on CYP2C19 Substrates: Elimination of drugs that are substrates for CYP2C19 (e.g., phenytoin, diazepam, propranolol, omeprazole, and clomipramine) may be prolonged by NUVIGIL via inhibition of metabolic enzymes, with resultant higher systemic exposure. Dose reduction of these drugs may be required when these drugs are used concomitantly with NUVIGIL. Warfarin: More frequent monitoring of prothrombin times/INR should be considered whenever NUVIGIL is coadministered with warfarin.
Monoamine Oxidase (MAO) Inhibitors: Caution should be used when concomitantly administering MAO inhibitors and NUVIGIL.

Pregnancy: Based on limited human experience from a pregnancy registry and spontaneous reporting armodafinil is suspected to cause congenital malformations when administered during pregnancy.
Studies in animals have shown reproductive toxicity NUVIGIL should not be used during pregnancy.
Lactation: There are no data on the presence of armodafinil or its metabolites in human milk, the effects on the breastfed infant, or the effect of this drug on milk production. Modafinil was present in rat milk when animals were dosed during the lactation period. The developmental and health benefits of breastfeeding should be considered along with the mother’s clinical need for armodafinil and any potential adverse effects on the breastfed child from armodafinil or from the underlying maternal condition.
See prescribing information for full details.

Fatal overdoses involving modafinil alone or involving NUVIGIL or modafinil in combination with other drugs have been reported in the postmarketing setting. Symptoms most often accompanying NUVIGIL or modafinil overdose, alone or in combination with other drugs, have included anxiety, dyspnea, insomnia; central nervous system symptoms such as restlessness, disorientation, confusion, excitation and hallucination; digestive changes such as nausea and diarrhea; and cardiovascular changes such as tachycardia, bradycardia, hypertension and chest pain. No specific antidote exists for the toxic effects of a NUVIGIL overdose. Such overdoses should be managed with primarily supportive care, including cardiovascular monitoring.

Storage: Store below 25o C. For bottle packages only: after first opening the bottle, the medicine can be used for 24 months from the date of opening, but not later than the expiry date.