Xyrem
Xyrem is the brand name for the prescription medication sodium oxybate, which is used mainly to treat narcolepsy, a neurological disorder characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness and abnormal REM sleep phenomena. It is also sometimes prescribed for cataplexy, a sudden loss of muscle tone often associated with narcolepsy. Xyrem is a central nervous system depressant that affects the brain’s transmission of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), producing sedative and sleep-promoting effects.
Sodium oxybate was initially developed in the 1960s and was later approved by the U.S. Food and
The medication’s mechanism involves modulation of GABA receptors, which helps to improve sleep architecture by increasing
Xyrem is supplied as a liquid, and due to its high risk of misuse, it is only