warnings and cautions
5 WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS Serious Rash, including Stevens-Johnson Syndrome: discontinue armodafinil at the first sign of rash, unless the rash is clearly not drug- related. ( 5.1 ) Angioedema and Anaphylaxis Reactions: if suspected, discontinue armodafinil. ( 5.2 ) Multi-organ Hypersensitivity Reactions: if suspected, discontinue armodafinil. ( 5.3 ) Persistent Sleepiness: assess patients frequently for degree of sleepiness and, if appropriate, advise patients to avoid driving or engaging in any other potentially dangerous activity. ( 5.4 ) Psychiatric Symptoms: use particular caution in treating patients with a history of psychosis, depression, or mania. Consider discontinuing armodafinil if psychiatric symptoms develop. ( 5.5 ) Known Cardiovascular Disease: consider increased monitoring. ( 5.7 ) 5.1 Serious Rash, including Stevens-Johnson Syndrome Serious rash requiring hospitalization and discontinuation of treatment has been reported in association with the use of armodafinil or modafinil (the racemic mixture of S- and R-enantiomers). Armodafinil has not been studied in pediatric patients in any setting and is not approved for use in pediatric patients for any indication. In clinical trials of modafinil, the incidence of rash resulting in discontinuation was approximately 0.8% (13 per 1,585) in pediatric patients (age less than 17 years); these rashes included 1 case of possible Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS) and 1 case of apparent multi-organ hypersensitivity reaction. Several of the cases were associated with fever and other abnormalities (e.g., vomiting, leukopenia). The median time to rash that resulted in discontinuation was 13 days. No such cases were observed among 380 pediatric patients who received placebo. Rare cases of serious or life-threatening rash, including SJS, Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN), and Drug Rash with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS) have been reported in adults and children in worldwide post-marketing experience. The reporting rate of TEN and SJS associated with modafinil use, which is generally accepted to be an underestimate due to underreporting, exceeds the background incidence rate. Estimates of the background incidence rate for these serious skin reactions in the general population range between 1 to 2 cases per million-person years. Cases of serious rash similar to those observed with modafinil including skin and mouth blistering have been reported in adults in postmarketing experience with armodafinil. There are no factors that are known to predict the risk of occurrence or the severity of rash associated with modafinil or armodafinil. Nearly all cases of serious rash associated with these drugs occurred within 1 to 5 weeks after treatment initiation. However, isolated cases have been reported after prolonged treatment (e.g., 3 months). Accordingly, duration of therapy cannot be relied upon as a means to predict the potential risk heralded by the first appearance of a rash. Although benign rashes also occur with armodafinil, it is not possible to reliably predict which rashes will prove to be serious. Accordingly, armodafinil should be discontinued at the first sign of rash, unless the rash is clearly not drug-related. Discontinuation of treatment may not prevent a rash from becoming life-threatening or permanently disabling or disfiguring. 5.2 Angioedema and Anaphylaxis Reactions Angioedema and hypersensitivity (with rash, dysphagia, and bronchospasm), were observed with armodafinil. Patients should be advised to discontinue therapy and immediately report to their physician any signs or symptoms suggesting angioedema or anaphylaxis (e.g., swelling of face, eyes, lips, tongue or larynx; difficulty in swallowing or breathing; hoarseness). 5.3 Multi-organ Hypersensitivity Reactions Multi-organ hypersensitivity reactions, including at least one fatality in post-marketing experience, have occurred in close temporal association (median time to detection 13 days: range 4-33) to the initiation of modafinil. A similar risk of multi-organ hypersensitivity reactions with armodafinil cannot be ruled out. Although there have been a limited number of reports, multi-organ hypersensitivity reactions may result in hospitalization or be life-threatening. There are no factors that are known to predict the risk of occurrence or the severity of multi-organ hypersensitivity reactions. Signs and symptoms of this disorder were diverse; however, patients typically, although not exclusively, presented with fever and rash associated with other organ system involvement. Other associated manifestations included myocarditis, hepatitis, liver function test abnormalities, hematological abnormalities (e.g., eosinophilia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia), pruritus, and asthenia. Because multi-organ hypersensitivity is variable in its expression, other organ system symptoms and signs, not noted here, may occur. If a multi-organ hypersensitivity reaction is suspected, armodafinil should be discontinued. Although there are no case reports to indicate cross-sensitivity with other drugs that produce this syndrome, the experience with drugs associated with multi-organ hypersensitivity would indicate this to be a possibility. 5.4 Persistent Sleepiness Patients with abnormal levels of sleepiness who take armodafinil should be advised that their level of wakefulness may not return to normal. Patients with excessive sleepiness, including those taking armodafinil, should be frequently reassessed for their degree of sleepiness and, if appropriate, advised to avoid driving or any other potentially dangerous activity. Prescribers should also be aware that patients may not acknowledge sleepiness or drowsiness until directly questioned about drowsiness or sleepiness during specific activities. 5.5 Psychiatric Symptoms In pre-approval narcolepsy, OSA and SWD controlled trials of armodafinil, anxiety, agitation, nervousness, and irritability were reasons for treatment discontinuation more often in patients on armodafinil compared to placebo (armodafinil 1.2% and placebo 0.3%). Depression was also a reason for treatment discontinuation more often in patients on armodafinil compared to placebo (armodafinil 0.6% and placebo 0.2%). Cases of suicide ideation were observed in clinical trials. Caution should be exercised when armodafinil is given to patients with a history of psychosis, depression, or mania. If psychiatric symptoms develop in association with armodafinil administration, consider discontinuing armodafinil. Psychiatric adverse reactions have been reported in patients treated with modafinil. Modafinil and armodafinil are very closely related. Therefore, the incidence and type of psychiatric symptoms associated with armodafinil are expected to be similar to the incidence and type of these events with modafinil. Post-marketing adverse reactions associated with the use of modafinil have included mania, delusions, hallucinations, suicidal ideation, and aggression, some resulting in hospitalization. Many, but not all, patients had a prior psychiatric history. One healthy male volunteer developed ideas of reference, paranoid delusions, and auditory hallucinations in association with multiple daily 600 mg doses of modafinil and sleep deprivation. There was no evidence of psychosis 36 hours after drug discontinuation. 5.6 Effects on Ability to Drive and Use Machinery Although armodafinil has not been shown to produce functional impairment, any drug affecting the CNS may alter judgment, thinking or motor skills. Patients should be cautioned about operating an automobile or other hazardous machinery until it is reasonably certain that armodafinil therapy will not adversely affect their ability to engage in such activities. 5.7 Cardiovascular Events In clinical studies of modafinil, cardiovascular adverse reactions, including chest pain, palpitations, dyspnea and transient ischemic T-wave changes on ECG were observed in three subjects in association with mitral valve prolapse or left ventricular hypertrophy. It is recommended that armodafinil tablets not be used in patients with a history of left ventricular hypertrophy or in patients with mitral valve prolapse who have experienced the mitral valve prolapse syndrome when previously receiving CNS stimulants. Findings suggestive of mitral valve prolapse syndrome include but are not limited to ischemic ECG changes, chest pain, or arrhythmia. If new onset of any of these findings occurs, consider cardiac evaluation. Blood pressure monitoring in short term (less than or equal to 3 months) pre-approval controlled trials of OSA, SWD, and narcolepsy showed small average increases in mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure in patients receiving armodafinil as compared to placebo (1.2 to 4.3 mmHg in the various experimental groups). There was also a slightly greater proportion of patients on armodafinil requiring new or increased use of antihypertensive medications (2.9%) compared to patients on placebo (1.8%). There was a small, but consistent, average increase in pulse rate over placebo in pre-approval controlled trials. This increase varied from 0.9 to 3.5 BPM. Increased monitoring of heart rate and blood pressure may be appropriate in patients on armodafinil. Caution should be exercised when prescribing armodafinil to patients with known cardiovascular disease.