Effects of clonidine in narcolepsy.

The antihypertensive drug clonidine was given in an open trial to two treatment-resistant (psychostimulants and tricyclic antidepressants) narcoleptic patients. When given acutely, clonidine suppressed REM sleep. However, patients became tolerant after repeated doses but did not lose the drug's beneficial clinical effects. This suggests that REM suppression may not be necessary for improvement in narcolepsy. Assessments of both clinical and polysomnographic variables before and after the trial indicate that clonidine may have a place in the treatment of some patients with narcolepsy.