Medical interventions and technology have vastly improved the quality of life for people with ALS by assisting with breathing, nutrition, mobility, and communication. Proper management of symptoms, and proactive use of medical interventions and equipment, can make a positive difference in day-to-day living and potentially may lengthen life. The FDA-approved drug riluzole (brand name Rilutek) has been shown to slightly increase longevity. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on May 5, 2017, approved Edaravone (brand name Radicava) for the treatment of ALS. Radicava is thought to work by relieving the effects of oxidative stress, which has been suspected to play a role in the death of motor neurons in people with ALS. (Oxidative stress is an imbalance between the production of free radicals and the ability of the body to counteract or detoxify their harmful effects with antioxidants.) Targeting this pathway could potentially preserve motor neuron health, which could in turn keep muscles functional for a longer period of time. For more, see FDA Approves Radicava to Treat ALS and Questions and Answers About Newly FDA-Approved Radicava to Treat ALS.