Epilepsy Drug Shows Promise In Treating Deadly Snoring Condition, Study Finds
Patients with OSA often snore loudly, their breathing starts and stops during the night, and they may wake up several times. GREG PAPPAS VIA UNSPLASH “> An epilepsy drug could cure a potentially deadly snoring…
Patients with OSA often snore loudly, their breathing starts and stops during the night, and they may wake up several times. GREG PAPPAS VIA UNSPLASH
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An epilepsy drug could cure a potentially deadly snoring condition, suggests a new study.
Patients taking sulthiame – currently used for childhood epilepsy – in a clinical trial experienced a reduction in their symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), say scientists.
Patients with OSA often snore loudly, their breathing starts and stops during the night, and they may wake up several times.
Not only does it cause tiredness, but it can also increase the risk of high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Scientists say OSA is very common, but many people don’t even realize they have the condition.
The most common – and most effective – treatments, especially positive airway pressure devices, are meant to be used every night.
Professor Jan Hedner, of Sahlgrenska University Hospital and the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, said: “The standard treatment for obstructive sleep apnea is sleeping with a machine that blows air through a face mask to keep the airways open.
“Unfortunately, many people find these machines hard to use over the long term, so there is a need to find alternative treatments.
“We also need a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms in OSA to help clinicians give more personalized treatment.”
The trial involved 298 people with OSA being treated at 28 different centers in Spain, France, Belgium, Germany and the Czech Republic.
