Basic Summary for Narcolepsy

Main name of condition: Narcolepsy
Other names or spellings:

What is Narcolepsy?
  Brief description of Narcolepsy: Abnormal sleep disorder leading to excessive daytime drowsiness.
  Parent types of Narcolepsy: Sleep disorders, Sleep disorder, Brain conditions, Mental illness, Adolescent conditions, Under-diagnosed conditions
  Organs Affected by Narcolepsy: brain, sleep

How many people get Narcolepsy?
  Prevalance of Narcolepsy: 200,000 Americans (NHLBI estimate); 50,000 diagnosed.
  Prevalance Rate of Narcolepsy: approx 1 in 1,359 or 0.07% or 200,000 people in USA [about data]
  Undiagnosed prevalence of Narcolepsy: estimated 150,000 undiagnosed (based on NHLBI estimates)
  Undiagnosed prevalence rate of Narcolepsy: approx 1 in 1,813 or 0.06% or 150,000 people in USA [about data]
  Prevalance of Narcolepsy: Although it is estimated that narcolepsy afflicts as many as 200,000 Americans, fewer than 50,000 are diagnosed.¹

Who gets Narcolepsy?
Patient Profile for Narcolepsy: Typically adolescence or young adults but any age possible.
Profile for Narcolepsy: Symptoms generally begin between the ages of 15 and 30. ² ... Narcolepsy can occur in both men and women at any age although its symptoms are usually first noticed in teenagers or young adults.¹

How serious is Narcolepsy?
  Prognosis of Narcolepsy: Life-long problem but usually manageable.
  Prognosis of Narcolepsy: Although narcolepsy is a life-long condition, most individuals with the disorder enjoy a near-normal lifestyle with adequate medication and support from teachers, employers, and families. If not properly diagnosed and treated, narcolepsy may have a devastating impact on the life of the affected individual, causing social, educational, psychological, and financial difficulties. ² ... Narcolepsy is an incurable life-long condition that requires continuous medication to reduce its symptoms.¹
  Complications of Narcolepsy: see complications of Narcolepsy

What causes Narcolepsy?
  Cause of Narcolepsy: Unknown.
  Causes of Narcolepsy: see causes of Narcolepsy
  Risk factors for Narcolepsy: see risk factors for Narcolepsy

What are the symptoms of Narcolepsy?
Symptoms of Narcolepsy: see symptoms of Narcolepsy

Can anyone else get Narcolepsy?
Inheritance: see inheritance of Narcolepsy

How is it treated?
Treatments for Narcolepsy: see treatments for Narcolepsy
Research for Narcolepsy: see research for Narcolepsy

Society issues for Narcolepsy
Hospitalization statistics for Narcolepsy: The following are statistics from various sources about hospitalizations and Narcolepsy:

0.001% (118) of hospital consultant episodes were for narcolepsy and cataplexy in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
98% of hospital consultant episodes for narcolepsy and cataplexy required hospital admission in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
74% of hospital consultant episodes for narcolepsy and cataplexy were for men in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
26% of hospital consultant episodes for narcolepsy and cataplexy were for women in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
6% of hospital consultant episodes for narcolepsy and cataplexy required emergency hospital admission in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
6.1 days was the mean length of stay in hospitals for narcolepsy and cataplexy in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
1 days was the median length of stay in hospitals for narcolepsy and cataplexy in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
39 was the mean age of patients hospitalised for narcolepsy and cataplexy in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
62% of hospital consultant episodes for narcolepsy and cataplexy occurred in 15-59 year olds in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
3% of hospital consultant episodes for narcolepsy and cataplexy occurred in people over 75 in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
0% of hospital consultant episodes for narcolepsy and cataplexy were single day episodes in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
0.001% (605) of hospital bed days were for narcolepsy and cataplexy in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)

Footnotes:
1. excerpt from Narcolepsy: NWHIC
2. excerpt from NINDS Narcolepsy Information Page: NINDS

Last revision: June 4, 2003

Medical Tools & Articles:

Next articles:

Medical Articles: