Alon Avidan, MD, MPH

“We often see patients who truly have the condition but were tested incorrectly by the clinician. If it’s not done correctly, the results cannot be used to exclude or cite if a patient actually does have narcolepsy.”

Misdiagnosing narcolepsy and other sleep disorders can be attributed to clinicians labeling patients based on symptoms or common traits that other previously diagnosed patients may have experienced. Oftentimes, a lack of medical history records or proper screening tests can lead to a misdiagnosis, which can ultimately damage a patient’s future if they are prescribed incorrect treatment.

Alon Avidan, MD, director of the Sleep Disorders Center and vice chair of the department of neurology at UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine feels as though clinicians are not taking enough precautions before fully diagnosing a patient—or, in other words, they’re placing patients into a bucket. These “buckets” as Avidan calls them, are essentially used to group patients who may show those similarities but may not have the same diagnosis.

 sat down with Avidan to discuss the issues and challenges caused by placing patients into these buckets, as well as what specific symptoms clinicians may confuse with narcolepsy when making a diagnosis.

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The Director of the Sleep Disorders Center and vice chair of the department of neurology at UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine describes why labeling patients can lead to a misdiagnosis of narcolepsy.

Alon Avidan, MD: Putting Patients With Suspected Narcolepsy Into Buckets

“There is a huge problem in our society in that patients are being labeled in a certain way… They may receive inappropriate treatment that goes on for decades which is very problematic..”

Narcolepsy can oftentimes go untreated, mistreated, or treated so late after onset that the comorbidities and conditions associated with it can be worsened. In some cases, time from onset of symptoms to diagnosis can take up to 10 years.

 that it seems as though the education around narcolepsy needs to be improved on both the patient and physician perspectives in order to improve rates of earlier diagnosis. Avidan, who is director of the Sleep Disorders Center and vice chair of the department of neurology at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, mentioned that a number of conditions, such as laziness, attention deficit disorder, and depression, can be mistreated and confused with narcolepsy, thus compounding the problem.

In this interview, Avidan detailed why an effort to boost education can lead to a greater understanding of identifying symptoms and improving rates of early diagnosis, including the challenge of improper labels accompanying the condition.

The Director of the Sleep Disorders Center and vice chair of the department of neurology at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine detailed how patients and physicians can be proactive in identifying narcolepsy.

Alon Avidan, MD, MPH: Early Stage Identification of Narcolepsy

“Obesity is often related to the fact that this individual cannot maintain alertness during the day and they cannot participate in sports activities.”

While narcolepsy is commonly associated with difficulties staying awake for long periods of time, sudden loss of muscle tone, sleep paralysis, and changes in rapid eye movement, many patients have accompanying comorbidities linked to the disease which can often take an equivalent toll on a patient’s daily life.  

Among these comorbidities that patients may experience are depression, obesity, social anxieties, and schizophrenic conditions due to the effects of narcolepsy. Alon Avidan, MD, MPHD director, Sleep Disorders Center, and vice chair, department of neurology, UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, feels as though an additional challenge for diagnosis at times can be triggered because medications can have adverse effects that trigger these comorbidities.  

In an interview with NeurologyLive, Avidan breaks down the comorbidities associated with narcolepsy, as well as the ways they can impact a patient’s daily function. Additionally, he touches on how clinicians can confuse narcolepsy with underlying schizophrenia.

The director of the Sleep Disorders Center and vice chair of the department of neurology at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine detailed the comorbidities related to narcolepsy.  

Alon Avidan, MD, MPH: Comorbidities Associated With Narcolepsy

“If they’re in a circumstance where they hear a funny joke or they’re surprised, it can often be a condition that stimulates the onset of cataplexy. So, they also often have an avoidance of social situations.”

Narcolepsy is a chronic sleep disorder characterized by overwhelming daytime drowsiness and sudden attacks of sleep. An underlying condition of this disorder is cataplexy, which can cause patients to experience significant loss of muscle tone, as well as sleep paralysis and hallucinations.

Although, according to Alon Avidan, MD, MPH, director, Sleep Disorders Center, and vice chair of the department of neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, the disorder can impact more than just a patients’ s health—this incurable disorder can hinder one’s ability to work, maintain relationships, and complete daily tasks, culminating in a significant impact on quality of life.

, Avidan detailed the symptoms associated with narcolepsy and cataplexy, as well as the aspects of life the disorder can affect and how these challenges add up for patients.

The director of the Sleep Disorders Center and vice chair of the department of neurology at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine discussed the daily challenges patients with narcolepsy face.

Author | Alon Avidan, MD, MPH

Articles

Alon Avidan, MD: Putting Patients With Suspected Narcolepsy Into Buckets

Alon Avidan, MD, MPH: Early Stage Identification of Narcolepsy

Alon Avidan, MD, MPH: Comorbidities Associated With Narcolepsy

Alon Avidan, MD, MPH: Narcolepsy in Daily Function