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While no cure has been found yet for ALS, treatments and support are available. Treatment
can provide survival benefits and supportive therapies can help relieve symptoms.
RILUTEK can help extend survival time
RILUTEK is the only medicine approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
for ALS. There may be benefits to starting RILUTEK treatment as soon as possible.
While it is not a cure, RILUTEK has been shown to significantly extend the time
before
invasive breathing assistance is needed and/or survival time (an average
of 2 to 3 months longer than people that took a
placebo). After 18 months of treatment, there was no difference between
those who took RILUTEK and those who took a placebo. What this means is that, in
clinical trials, RILUTEK offered a survival benefit early in ALS treatment.
RILUTEK tablets are white, film coated and capsule shaped. The recommended dose
of RILUTEK is 50 mg twice a day, taken at the same times every day. Patients may
not notice an improvement in their condition while taking RILUTEK, however clinical
studies show that people who took RILUTEK survived longer without needing help with
breathing than those who took a sugar pill.
To ensure that you are receiving the full benefit of treatment, take RILUTEK exactly
as your doctor tells you to. Remember, you should not stop taking any medication
without first talking to your doctor.
Click here
to learn more about RILUTEK
Symptom Relief
There are treatments available that can help relieve ALS symptoms, such as:
Additional Support
ALS center support: An ALS center or clinic provides specialized and coordinated
medical care and therapy for ALS patients. There are ALS centers all over the country.
Each one is staffed by healthcare professionals dedicated to treating people with
ALS and supporting their caregivers.
ALS centers offer healthcare services from a team of people who are specially trained
to meet the needs of ALS patients and their caregivers. Services at ALS centers
can include physical therapy, occupational therapy, respiratory therapy, nursing,
registered dietician services, psychology or psychiatry, as well as speech and language
pathology. Most ALS centers offer a full range of these types of services, called
a multidisciplinary approach, some offer only a few. A multi-disciplinary clinic
allows for multiple specialists and therapists to see a patient in one visit, creating
a more comprehensive and personalized treatment plan. It is best to check with individual
ALS centers to find out what is offered.
Click here to find an ALS center
near you.
Rehabilitation support: As
muscles weaken, people with ALS may need rehabilitation services. These
services enhance independence and maintain safety.
- Physical therapy — to strengthen your
muscles, keep your heart healthy, and fight fatigue
- Occupational therapy — to help you keep doing daily activities
- Speech therapy — to help you communicate because ALS affects the
muscles you use to speak and swallow, and to help you learn to talk with communication
devices
- Assistive devices — to help you move with devices such as braces, canes, walkers,
and wheelchairs
- Nutritional support — to give you advice on foods that are nutritious and
easy to swallow
- Emotional support — to help you with depression through medication and counseling
- Respiratory support — to help you breathe through either
non-invasive or invasive ventilation