“Toxicity from Modafinil Ingestion”, Henry A. Spiller, Douglas Borys, Jill R. K. Griffith, Wendy Klein-Schwartz, Alfred Aleguas, Dawn Sollee, Deborah A. Anderson, Tama S. Sawyer2009-02 (modafinil)⁠:

Introduction: Modafinil’s, a non-amphetamine stimulant, is used for narcolepsy, sleep apnea, and shift work sleep disorder. There is little available information on the toxicity of modafinil overdose.

Method: We performed a retrospective multi-poison center chart review of patients from 11 states who had a single substance ingestion of modafinil with follow up to a known outcome for the years 2000^–₇2007_17ya. Data collected included age, gender, dose ingested, clinical effects, length of hospital stay, and medical outcome.

Results: There were 137 patients, of whom 85 (63%) were female. Ages ranged 1–82 years with a mean and median of 22 years (+18) and 20 years, respectively, with 43 patients (31%) aged <6 years.

Most frequently reported clinical effects were tachycardia (n = 38), insomnia (n = 33), agitation (n = 27), dizziness (n = 25), and anxiety (n = 24). 45 patients were managed at home and 92 in a health-care setting, with only 23 (17%) requiring a medical admission.

Therapies included benzodiazepines (n = 14), diphenhydramine (n = 5), β-blockers (n = 3), haloperidol (n = 2), IV fluid hydration (n = 2), and one each of nitroglycerin, epinephrine, benztropine, and promethazine.

Conclusion: In this case series, clinical effects of modafinil overdoses were generally mild with predominantly tachycardia and CNS toxicity. However, clinically-significant effects warranting specific therapy occurred in a minority of patients.

See Also:

• Hyponatraemia and cerebral oedema due to a modafinil overdose

• A rare case of modafinil dependence

• Modafinil Dependence and Hypersexuality: A Case Report and Review of the Evidence

• Stevens-Johnson Syndrome After Armodafinil Use