sodium oxybate
Adjunctive therapy • Brands: Xyrem
Last reviewed: 2025-12-30
General information
- Class: Adjunctive therapy
- Common US brands: Xyrem
- Therapeutic drug monitoring not routinely recommended.
- Last reviewed: 2025-12-30
Dosing & forms
- Forms/strengths: —
- Frequency: —
- Food: —
- Typical range: —
Mechanism (brief)
Nighttime CNS depressant (sodium oxybate; oxybate/GHB) indicated for cataplexy and excessive daytime sleepiness in narcolepsy (patients 7+); Schedule III with boxed warning for CNS depression and abuse/misuse, and dispensed under a REMS due to risk of respiratory depression and misuse.
Metabolism & Half‑life
- Metabolism: Non-CYP metabolism (GHB metabolic pathways)
- Half‑life: Single-dose range 0.5–1 h
Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM)
Recommended: No
Monitoring highlights
- —
Sources
- XYREM (sodium oxybate) oral solution prescribing information — DailyMed (2025)
- Treatment of central disorders of hypersomnolence: an American Academy of Sleep Medicine clinical practice guideline — Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine (2021)
- Treatment of central disorders of hypersomnolence: an American Academy of Sleep Medicine systematic review, meta-analysis, and GRADE assessment — Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine (2021)
- Sodium oxybate improves excessive daytime sleepiness in narcolepsy — Sleep (2006)