Klin Farmakol Farm. 2024;38(2):67-71 | DOI: 10.36290/far.2024.011

Role of pharmacotherapy in the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Adam Betík^{1, 2}, Eva Vlčková^{1, 2}

¹ Neurologická klinika LF MU a FN Brno

² Lékařská fakulta Masarykovy univerzity v Brně

amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an incurable neurodegenerative disease with unclear pathophysiology and poor prognosis. Pharmacotherapy in the treatment of ALS is aimed at slowing disease progression and alleviating symptoms. The first and currently only drug that slows disease progression and is available to an unselected population is riluzole. For genetically predisposed patients with a mutation in the gene for superoxide dismutase (SOD1), tofersen is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration and more recently by the European Medicines Agency. European approval is expected soon. Symptomatic pharmacotherapy improves spasticity, sialorrhea, spasms, depression, emotional instability and, in palliative care at the end of life, dyspnea.

Keywords: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, pharmacotherapy, riluzole, tofersen, symptomatic treatment, palliative care.

Accepted: June 28, 2024; Published: July 15, 2024  Show citation