Benefits of Early Diagnosis of ALS and Prescribing Rilutek

An early and efficient diagnosis offers clear advantages for patients with ALS ^1-3

Reduces uncertainty about their condition.
Prevents long wait for exclusionary tests to be performed.
Speeds up referrals to ALS clinics for specialized care.
Can result in early treatment with Rilutek.

Rilutek is the only treatment proven effective for ALS

Rilutek offers a survival benefit early in treatment.^4-6
Patients can be started on Rilutek at any time after they are diagnosed.
Prescribe one 50-mg tablet to be taken every 12 hours, at least 1 hour before or 2 hours after a meal.

Important Treatment Considerations

Evaluate serum ALT levels every month during the first 3 months of treatment, and every 3 months during the remainder of the first year. Thereafter, serum ALT levels should be periodically evaluated more frequently in patients who develop elevations. Rilutek should be discontinued if ALT levels increase to 5 times ULN or if clinical jaundice develops.
Advise patients about the potential for dizziness, vertigo, or somnolence and not to drive or operate machinery until they have sufficient experience on Rilutek.
Advise patients to report any febrile illness; measure WBCs.
Use Rilutek with caution in patients with concomitant liver insufficiency; caution should be exercised when prescribing Rilutek to patients taking drugs that are potentially hepatotoxic or highly protein bound:
- Interactions may also occur when riluzole is given concurrently with agents that affect hepatic CYP 1A2 activity.^*

*CYP 1A2 is the principal isoenzyme involved in the initial oxidative metabolism of riluzole. CYP 1A2 inhibitors, such as amitriptyline, caffeine, phenacetin, theophylline, or quinolones, may potentially decrease the rate of riluzole elimination. CYP 1A2 inducers, such as cigarette smoke, charcoal-broiled food, rifampicin, or omeprazole, may potentially increase the rate of elimination.

The health information contained herein is provided for general educational purposes only. As a healthcare professional, you are the single best source of information regarding healthcare for your patients with ALS. Please contact sanofi-aventis if you have any questions or need more information about treating ALS.

References

Bromberg M. Accelerating the diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The Neurologist. 1999;5:63-74.
El Escorial Revisited: revised criteria for the diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. World Federation of Neurology Web site. Available at: http://www.wfnals.org/guidelines/1998elescorial/elescorial1998.htm. Accessed March 30, 2007.
Brooks BR, Miller RG, Swash M, Munsat TL, for the World Federation of Neurology Research Group on Motor Neuron Diseases. El Escorial revisited: revised criteria for the diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Other Motor Neuron Disord. 2000;1:293-299.
Rilutek Prescribing Information.
Bensimon G, Lacomblez L, Meininger V, and the ALS/Riluzole Study Group. A controlled trial of riluzole in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. N Engl J Med. 1994; 330:585-591.
Lacomblez L, Bensimon G, Leigh PN, Guillet P, Meininger V, for the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis/ Riluzole Study Group II. Dose-ranging study of riluzole in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Lancet. 1996;347:1425-1431.

Benefits of Early Diagnosis of ALS and Prescribing Rilutek

An early and efficient diagnosis offers clear advantages for patients with ALS 1-3

Rilutek is the only treatment proven effective for ALS

Important Treatment Considerations

An early and efficient diagnosis offers clear advantages for patients with ALS ^1-3