Case scenario

Sarah, a regular customer in your community pharmacy, presents a prescription for riluzole tablets written by a neurologist for her husband David. It has been several months since David, aged 57, has been seen in the pharmacy. Sarah looks visibly upset and not her usual cheerful self.

After reading this article, pharmacists should be able to:
  • Discuss the epidemiology of motor neurone disease
  • Describe the aetiology and clinical features of motor neurone disease
  • Discuss pharmacological and non-pharmacological management strategies for motor neurone disease.

Competency standards (2016) addressed: 1.1, 1.4, 1.5, 2.2, 3.1, 3.5, 3.6

Accreditation number: CAP2410DMBW 

Accreditation expiry: 30/09/2027

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Introduction

Motor neurone disease (MND) is a group of progressive, degenerative disorders of the motor neurones.1 Motor neurones are nerve cells which control the muscles that enable movement, speech, breathing and swallowing, and their degeneration results in muscle weakness and atrophy.1–3

Patients diagnosed with MND have an average survival time of 2.5 years after diagnosis and usually die of respiratory failure.1–3 The initial symptoms, rate and pattern of disease progression and survival times vary between p

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