First drug to ease sleep apnea has solution

[New Sancai Compilation and First Release] A drug used to treat type 2 diabetes has been found to be effective in treating sleep apnea. Global clinical trials show that Tirzepatide significantly reduces breathing interruptions during sleep, a key measure of the severity of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in patients.

Tezepatide is one of a class of blockbuster GLP-1 drugs sold as Mounjaro to fight diabetes and Zepbound to help with weight loss.

"This study marks an important milestone in the treatment of OSA and provides a promising new treatment option that can address respiratory and metabolic complications." study leader Atul Dr., director of sleep medicine at UC San Diego Health Dr. Atul Malhotra said.

OSA is characterized by recurrent episodes of irregular breathing during sleep due to complete or partial obstruction of the upper airway. It causes lower levels of oxygen in the blood and is associated with an increased risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and other heart-related complications.

More than 900 million people worldwide are believed to have OSA, and the 469 participants in the study came from the United States and eight other countries. All were clinically obese and had moderate to severe sleep apnea.

Some people use continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy, in which a machine keeps the airway open during sleep. All subjects received 10 or 15 milligrams (mg) of tezepatide or placebo.

Over the course of a year, patients taking tilsiparatide experienced significantly fewer interruptions in breathing during sleep. Their improvement was much greater than the placebo group. Researchers say some patients may no longer need CPAP treatment.

The findings, published June 21 in the New England Journal of Medicine, add to evidence that drugs targeting apnea and obesity are better than treating either condition alone. The researchers said drug treatment improved other aspects related to OSA, such as improving body weight. However, some patients have mild stomach problems.

This finding could be good news for patients who hate sleeping with a CPAP mask covering their nose and mouth.

"This breakthrough opens the door to a new era of OSA management for people with obesity, potentially changing how we approach and treat this prevalent disease globally," Malhotra said in a UC San Diego Health news release. Way."

(Compiled by: Wang Jimin)
(Editor: Jiang Qiming)
(Source of the article: Compiled and published by New Sancai)