The path to diagnosing narcolepsy.

Narcolepsy is a lifelong disorder that is widely underrecognized.^1-4

• Less than half of patients with narcolepsy are estimated to be diagnosed.³
  • More than 50% of patients report symptoms starting before 18 years of age, with a main peak of symptom onset at approximately age 15.^5-7
  • Seems to affect both males and females equally.¹
  • Identified as the primary sleep diagnosis in about 1 in 20 patients in a sample of US sleep clinics.⁸

People may suffer many years before being diagnosed.^3,4,11,12

• An accurate diagnosis can often take 10 years or more.^3,4,11,12
  • In one study, pediatric onset of symptoms was shown to be the strongest predictor of delayed diagnosis.⁶
  • Narcolepsy can be misdiagnosed as another neurological illness or a psychiatric condition such as major depressive disorder.^13-15
  • Narcolepsy can also be present with other sleep abnormalities such as obstructive sleep apnea.^16,17
  • Mild- or late-onset cataplexy can also contribute to delayed diagnosis.¹¹

Even diagnosed narcolepsy patients may have unrecognized symptomatology.¹⁸

• Cataplexy can be difficult to identify and may often go undetected.^4,19