Manufacturer: Sun Pharma, India
Pharmaceutical name: Modafinil
Pack: 10 pills (100 mg)
Modalert is an oral medication designed to enhance wakefulness in individuals experiencing excessive sleepiness. Its effects are akin to those of caffeine, as both substances stimulate the brain to promote alertness. Consequently, they are classified as stimulants. Other stimulant medications, such as dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine) and sibutramine (Meridia), also act to suppress appetite but have differing effects. All four medications influence neurotransmitters in the brain, which are the chemical messengers that enable communication between nerve cells; however, they impact these neurotransmitters in varied ways.
Modalert is utilized to enhance wakefulness in patients suffering from excessive sleepiness linked to narcolepsy, obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome (as an adjunct treatment for the underlying obstruction), and shift work sleep disorder. Narcolepsy is a chronic condition affecting the brain and spinal cord, primarily marked by a recurrent and uncontrollable urge to sleep. Shift work sleep disorder occurs when the regular sleep pattern is disrupted, often due to nighttime work.
Typically, Modalert is administered at a dosage of 200 or 400 mg daily, although the higher 400 mg dosage has not shown increased efficacy compared to the 200 mg dosage. This medication can be taken with or without meals.
Modalert can impact the activity of liver enzymes responsible for metabolizing (eliminating) other medications. This may lead to reduced levels of certain medications, decreasing their effectiveness, or increased levels of other drugs, leading to potential toxicity. Therefore, treatment with Modalert should be closely monitored when used alongside these medications.
Medications that may lose effectiveness when used with Modalert include cyclosporine, theophylline, and hormonal contraceptives like progestin-only or those containing estrogen and progesterone. It is advisable to consider alternative hormonal contraceptives or a secondary non-drug form of contraception during Modalert treatment, which should continue for one month following the end of Modalert therapy (as the effects of modafinil on contraceptive hormones may persist for several weeks). The interaction of Modalert with hormonal contraceptives occurs regardless of whether they are administered orally, via patch, or implant. The interaction between modafinil and alcohol remains uncertain.
The most frequently reported side effects of Modalert in clinical studies include headache, upper respiratory tract infection, nausea, nervousness, anxiety, and insomnia, each experienced by over 5% of patients.