Sleep apnea: finally a treatment to help you sleep better?

Soon a first drug treatment against sleep apnea syndrome? Published on June 21, 2024 in the journal The New england journal of medicinea study from the University of California School of Medicine shows convincing results obtained with tirzepatide.

The drug, developed by pharmaceutical group Eli Lilly and Company, belongs to a new class of antidiabetics that helps promote weight loss while lowering blood sugar levels.

A clinical trial conducted on 469 individuals

Two randomized, double-blind phase III clinical trials involved a cohort of 469 individuals. All suffered from obesity, associated with moderate to severe sleep apnea syndrome.

As a reminder, obesity is the main risk factor for the occurrence of sleep apnea syndrome.

Participants were divided into two groups: those who received CPAP treatment – ​​continuous positive airway pressure, which involves using a face mask connected to a device that blows air under pressure to clear the airways during the night – and those who were not treated with CPAP.

Some received 10 or 15 mg of tirzepatide for 52 weeks, others a placebo. The IAH index was then measured per hour, which corresponds, in one hour of sleep, to the number of apneas and hypopneas (reduction in the amplitude of breathing associated with a drop in the oxygen level or a brief awakening).

Positive results with this drug

Result? In trial 1, including participants who were not treated with CPAP, the AHI decreased by 25.3 events per hour (51.5 events at the start).

In patients already treated with PPC, who had an AHI of 49.5 events at baseline, 29.3 fewer events were observed with tirzepatide.

The treatment also helped to reduce cardiovascular risk factors and allowed a weight loss in patients.

“This new drug treatment offers an alternative for people who cannot tolerate or adhere to existing therapies (CPAP therapy is restrictive),” said Dr. Atul Malhotra, lead author of the study and director of the sleep service at UC San Diego Health.

We believe that the combination of CPAP therapy and weight loss will be optimal for improving cardiometabolic risk and symptoms. Tirzepatide may also target specific underlying mechanisms of sleep apnea, potentially leading to more personalized and effective treatment

Next steps will need to examine the longer-term effects of tirzepatide.

1.8 million people affected in France

Sleep apnea syndrome, or obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS), affects nearly 1 billion people worldwide, 1.8 million in France.

It has serious consequences on the quality of life of patients (drowsiness, extreme fatigue, irritability, difficulty concentrating).

And, in the long term, this sleep disorder increases the risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases (metabolic syndrome, hypertension, atherosclerosis, type 2 diabetes, heart rhythm disorders).

with Destination Santé

Follow all the news from your favorite cities and media by subscribing to My News.