Program Description
Narcolepsy type 1 (NT1) remains frequently underdiagnosed and misdiagnosed, and many patients experience excessive daytime sleepiness, cataplexy, sleep paralysis, and sleep-related hallucinations for years before receiving an accurate diagnosis. Rooted in the loss of orexin-producing neurons and disrupted hypocretin signaling, NT1 carries a substantial quality-of-life burden, including impaired social and occupational functioning and an elevated risk of work- and driving-related accidents. Treatment has long relied on polypharmacy, but sodium-based therapies in particular can increase the need for antihypertensive management and ongoing cardiovascular and metabolic monitoring. The therapeutic landscape is shifting with histamine-3 receptor antagonists/inverse agonists, selective dopamine/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, sodium-free and reduced-sodium formulations, and other investigational agents including orexin receptor agonists as emerging disease-modifying approaches. As these options emerge, managed care professionals and pharmacists play an increasingly central role in treatment sequencing, formulary strategy, and utilization management, and must be equipped to weigh efficacy and safety evidence, mitigate cardiovascular risk, and balance patient access against the significant direct and indirect economic burden of NT1. This session will review NT1 pathophysiology, diagnostic challenges, and disease burden; examine the efficacy and safety data supporting approved and investigational therapies along with current American Academy of Sleep Medicine guideline recommendations; and translate this evidence into practical managed care strategies for prior authorization, utilization management, and value-based formulary decision-making designed to improve access and outcomes for patients with NT1.
Target audience: Managed Care Pharmacists
Type of activity: Application
Release date: October 28, 2026
Expiration date: December 27, 2026
Time to complete activity: 1.5 hours
Learner level: Foundational, Intermediate
Fee: Free
Educational Objectives
At the completion of this activity, pharmacists will be able to:
- Explain the underlying pathophysiology of narcolepsy, including the role of the hypocretin (orexin) system in regulating wakefulness and REM sleep
- Identify the clinical burden of narcolepsy type 1 along with challenges that may delay accurate diagnosis
- Examine the efficacy and safety evidence supporting approved and investigational therapies used in the management of narcolepsy type 1
- Apply managed care strategies that optimize patient access to emerging narcolepsy type 1 therapies while controlling economic burden
Accreditation Information
Pharmacy Times Continuing Education™ is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) as a provider of continuing pharmacy education. This application-based activity is approved for 1.5 contact hours (0.15 CEU) under the ACPE universal activity number 0290-0000-26-304-L01-P. The activity is available for CE credit through December 27, 2026.
Obtaining Credit
All participants who attended the live virtual broadcast need to log on to their Pharmacy Times Continuing Education™ account on www.pharmacytimes.org to complete an online evaluation form and request their credit. Instructions on receiving credit will be provided the day of the event.
Instructions for Completing the Activity and Receiving CPE Credit
To receive CPE credit, participants must complete the pretest, review the activity in its entirety, complete the posttest, and complete the online activity evaluation. After successful completion of the online activity evaluation, you can submit your credit to CPE Monitor. You may view your credit within 48 hours at www.mycpemonitor.net. All participants must request credit before the activity expiration date. CE credit will not be issued after this date.
Disclosures
Megan Maroney, PharmD, BCPP, FAAPP, has the following relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose:
Consultant (advisory board): Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH, Karuna Therapeutics.
The staff of Pharmacy Times Continuing Education™ have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.
All of the relevant financial relationships listed for these individuals have been mitigated.
At least 1 anonymous peer reviewer has been used as part of content validation and conflict resolution. The peer reviewer has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose.
Educational Disclaimer
CPE activities are offered solely for educational purposes and do not constitute any form of professional advice or referral. Discussions concerning drugs, dosages, and procedures may reflect the clinical experience of the author(s) or they may be derived from the professional literature or other sources and may suggest uses that are investigational in nature and not approved labeling or indications. Participants are encouraged to refer to primary references or full prescribing information resources.
For questions about this internet CPE activity, please contact:
[email protected]
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