The Neurology Service at the Virgen Macarena University Hospital, part of the Andalusian Health Service (SAS), operates a Sleep Unit that cares for over 100 narcolepsy patients from Western Andalusia.
In observance of World Narcolepsy Day, the Seville-based hospital aims to raise awareness of this neurological condition and the daily difficulties patients experience. Emphasis is placed on the importance of early and accurate diagnosis for appropriate, personalized treatment.
Narcolepsy is considered a rare and often disabling disease. "It's much more than just falling asleep unintentionally; it means living with a condition unknown to many, yet highly debilitating and incapacitating for those who suffer from it," explains María Aguilar, coordinator of the hospital's Sleep Unit.
The unit currently assists over 1,000 patients with sleep disorders and conducts approximately 400 specific diagnostic studies annually. These include overnight polysomnograms and, more specifically, multiple sleep latency tests, which involve repeated daytime naps to confirm a narcolepsy diagnosis.
Treatments for this rare condition have advanced, with various effective pharmacological options yielding good results for most patients. The Neurology Service is currently involved in over five clinical trials and observational studies.
In addition to excessive daytime sleepiness, narcolepsy is characterized by other symptoms, including sleep-related hallucinations, sleep paralysis, disrupted nighttime sleep, and in some cases, cataplexy.
