
via Wikipedia
A drug in development for obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) has shown promising results, after researchers from Flinders University tested the treatment in people for the first time.
Designed to prevent the narrowing or collapse of the upper airways during sleep, a key factor in OSA, the treatment could prove to be a potential alternative for certain people with OSA to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines, which can only be tolerated by about half of all OSA sufferers.
“While further rigorous clinical evaluation and testing is required, this is a great first step and should offer some hope to the many people worldwide who suffer from sleep apnoea,” says study senior author Professor Danny Eckeart, Director of Flinders’ sleep lab FHMRI: Sleep Health.
“OSA is one of the most common sleep-related breathing disorders, with an estimated one billion sufferers, and when untreated is associated with major health and safety consequences. While CPAP machines are effective, tolerance remains a major issue for many and other treatments such as dental splints and upper airway surgery don’t always work. This is why we need new treatment options for OSA.
“At the moment, there are no approved drug treatments for OSA. However, with advances in our understanding of the different reasons people get OSA, the potential for effective new medications is growing stronger each year.”
Published in the journal Chest, the study tested the drug on 12 people with OSA using either nasal drops, a nasal spray or via direct application using an endoscope, versus a placebo.
Monitoring for sleep and airway activity across several sessions, the team found consistent and sustained improvements in the patients’ airways staying open throughout sleep, compared to the placebo treatment, regardless of the delivery method used.
“Although a small study, our findings represent the first detailed investigation of this new treatment in people with OSA, with promising results,” says study lead author Dr Amal Osman from FHMRI: Sleep Health.
“The drug we tested is designed to target specific receptors that are expressed on the surface of the upper airways, triggering them more easily to activate the surrounding muscles to keep the airway open during sleep. While there’s still a long way to go in terms of clinical testing and development, our study shows targeting these receptors may be a promising avenue for future treatments.”
Original Article: Could a nasal spray treat sleep apnea?
More from: Flinders University
The Latest Updates from Bing News
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Obstructive sleep apnoea
- Breathing problems during sleep linked to worsening PAH in study
PAH patients who have problems breathing while sleeping are nearly twice as likely to have clinical worsening of their symptoms, per a study.
- Serum Vitamin D Deficiency Associated With Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Researchers assessed the relationship between serum vitamin D and obstructive sleep apnea among individuals with obesity.
- Analysis Supports Link Between Psoriasis and Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Patients with psoriasis had a 1.77-fold increased risk of having obstructive sleep apnea, in a study comparing patients with psoriasis with controls. Prior studies have established a link between ...
- Triglyceride-glucose index as a predictor of obstructive sleep apnoea severity in the absence of traditional risk factors
We evaluated the association between the triglyceride–glucose (TG) index, a marker of insulin resistance, and obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) severity in patients without diabetes mellitus, obesity, ...
- Sleep apnoea: Five weird signs you must be suffering from OSA
Headaches caused by obstructive sleep apnoea don't appear to lead to nausea or increased sensitivity to light and sound. Instead, they seem to be a pressing sensation on both sides of the forehead ...
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Sleep apnea treatment
- Breathing problems during sleep linked to worsening PAH in study
PAH patients who have problems breathing while sleeping are nearly twice as likely to have clinical worsening of their symptoms, per a study.
- The Connection Between Sleep Problems and Depression
What can I do to get some shut-eye?” Diagnosing Sleep Problems When it comes to diagnosing sleep problems, the question is: what came first? Sleep may seem like a passive activity but when you get too ...
- Get Healthy: Sleep apnea keeping you awake? It might be time to get ‘Inspired’
For an estimated 50% of treated patients, though, CPAP tolerance is poor and the treatment becomes ineffective. As another nonsurgical alternative, dental devices can be used to treat sleep apnea.
- Vivos Therapeutics severe sleep apnea treatment’s a ‘breakthrough’, says CEO
Vivos Therapeutics (NASDAQ:VVOS) Inc’s recently announced FDA clearance for its oral appliances to treat severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has sparked much investor interest, sending its stock ...
- FDA Clears First Oral Device Treatment for Severe Sleep Apnea
The removable complete airway repositioning and/or expansion (CARE) line of oral appliances are an alternative treatment to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or surgical neurostimulation ...