These two medications are effective at dealing with wakefulness. As their popularity is on the rise, it’s not uncommon for people to wonder, “What is the difference between Armodafinil and Modafinil?” This article will look at both medications and highlight the subtle differences between the two.
Armodafinil and Modafinil are prescription drugs that can be used to improve wakefulness in adults who are diagnosed with the sleep disorder. The two medications go by other brand names in the market which is, Nuvigil for Armodafinil and Provigil or Modafinil. Armodafinil and Modafinil don’t cure sleep disorder permanently but are great medicines to take when it comes to prevention of sleep problems.
Armodafinil and Modafinil are quite similar although they also have a few differences. Here we’ll get to take about these two drugs, their effects, and benefits, similarities, as well as differences, to help you clearly understand how they work and also how they can help you.
Essential Information
Modafinil is a well-known eugeroics medication because it is sold to treat narcolepsy and other conditions that involve sleepiness. Modafinil can also be used to treat diseases such as chronic fatigue syndrome or multiple sclerosis. This is mainly because one of the side effects of these conditions is too excessive sleepiness in the patient.
Armodafinil, on the other hand, is a medicine that helps to stimulate the brain and is FDA-approved for treating excessive daytime sleepiness that is associated with narcolepsy, shift work disorder, and also obstructive sleep apnea. Armodafinil has a longer half-life than Modafinil, and therefore it is useful when it comes to improving wakefulness in patients that suffer from excessive daytime sleepiness.
A combo of these drugs helps to boost the brain’s activity to stimulate specific areas of the brain that are involved in wakefulness. Both of these drugs can treat narcolepsy which we mentioned above which is a chronic sleep problem that causes daytime drowsiness that is quite overwhelming and sudden sleep attacks.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) may block the airway to your throat as it relaxes the muscles of the throat as someone is in their sleep. This causes your breathing to be irregular whenever you are enjoying their sleep, and this can prevent you from sleeping well, leading to daytime sleepiness. For people who rotate shifts or work at night, they are prone to suffer from Shift Work Disorder (SWD).
Side Effects of Armodafinil and Modafinil
Armodafinil and Modafinil have their benefits when it comes to the treatment of sleep disorders, also have their side effects which we are going to discuss here. Let’s have a closer look at the side effects. Side effects that are most common include;
- May lead to insomnia
- They may cause nausea
- Headaches
- Appetite and weight loss
- May cause indigestion
- They may lead to nervousness or anxiety
Similarities
These are some of the similarities of Armodafinil and Modafinil;
- Both Armodafinil and Modafinil help to treat narcolepsy.
- The two drugs also help to treat Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA).
- Both Armodafinil and Modafinil help to treat Shift Work Disorder (SWD).
- They both belong to a class of stimulant drugs
- Both of their names are generic.
- For dosage, they are both administered as oral tablets.
Similar Side Effects
- They both cause a rash
- They also create a decrease in appetite
- Both may cause diarrhea and nausea
- Both Armodafinil and Modafinil cause dizziness and headaches.
- Both may cause insomnia and anxiety.
Differences
Although Armodafinil and Modafinil share a lot of similarities, they also have differences that we are going to discuss below. Let’s check out these differences;
Armodafinil is stronger than Modafinil
- research has shown that Armodafinil is quite stronger than Modafinil even in a small dose. Armodafinil takes effect also faster than Modafinil due to its active nature.
Armodafinil is much expensive than Modafinil
- Modafinil doesn’t cost as much as Armodafinil, which could be because of its much stronger effects.
- Modafinil may cause other side effects such as the stuffy nose and even back pain, but Armodafinil won’t cause these symptoms often. However, other symptoms are synonymous with Armodafinil, mainly due to its stronger nature as compared with Modafinil.
- Because Armodafinil has longer time-frame for effect, it may cause insomnia to people who are using it. Other people may experience anxiety from Armodafinil due to its stronger nature.
Caution
Here are some things you need to be cautious about when it comes to taking any of these two drugs.
Don’t take Armodafinil or Modafinil if you are taken other drugs such as birth control pills, triazolam, diazepam, midazolam, clomipramine, phenytoin, among others. This is because the drugs may interact with each other leading to complications. Therefore, you should consult a physician before taking the medications.
Consult your doctor before using Armodafinil or Modafinil if you have problems such as;
- High blood pressure
- Mental health conditions
- Kidney problems
- Heart disease
Make sure to follow the doctor’s prescription regarding medication of Armodafinil or Modafinil. Also, don’t overdose or underdose on the drugs. If you overdose or someone you know happens to overdose on the drugs, make sure to call for emergency health services immediately.
Bottom line
Even though there are subtle differences between these two medications, they are both quite effective at dealing with wakefulness in people who need it. Their differences are mainly bent on one being a little bit stronger than the other, and also has a slight difference in their side effects.
Armodafinil is generally quite stronger as compared to Modafinil, meaning that its effects take longer than those of Modafinil. The most critical aspect when anyone is taking these medications is to ensure that they sought for the prescription of an experienced physician who recommended the right dosage.
This is because of the awful effects that an over-dosage of these medications could have on someone. However, if there is an unfortunate case of an overdose, it is highly vital that one makes immediate contact with relevant emergency medical services within their area.