OSA is one of the most common sleep-related breathing disorders, with an estimated one billion sufferers. A study shows that you can start using nasal sprays for better sleep.
Sleep apnea: Developing medicine for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) After being tested in humans for the first time by researchers at Flinders University, it showed promising results. Designed to prevent the narrowing or collapse of the upper airway during sleep, a key factor in OSA, the treatment may prove a viable alternative to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines for certain people with OSA, which can only be tolerated by About half of OSA sufferers. “While more rigorous clinical evaluation and testing is needed, this is an excellent first step and should give some hope to the many people around the world who suffer from sleep apnea,” says senior study author Professor Danny Eckart, director of the Flinders Sleep Lab FHMRI. : Sleep Health. “OSA is one of the most common sleep-related breathing disorders, with an estimated one billion sufferers, and is associated with major health and safety consequences when left untreated.
While CPAP machines are effective, tolerance remains a major problem for many other treatments such as dental splints and upper airway surgery. That’s why we need new treatment options for OSA. “At the moment, there is no approved drug treatment for OSA. However, with advances in our understanding of the various reasons people get OSA, the potential for effective new drugs grows stronger every year.
Published in the journal Chest, the study tested the drug on 12 people with OSA via nasal drops, nasal spray or direct application using an endoscope versus a placebo. By monitoring sleep and airway activity over several sessions, the team found consistent and sustained improvements in patients’ airways remaining open during sleep, regardless of the delivery method used, compared to placebo treatment. “Although a small study, our findings represent the first detailed investigation of this new treatment in people with OSA with promising results,” lead study author Dr. FHMRI: Sleep Health. Amal Osman says.
“The drug we tested is designed to target specific receptors that are expressed on the surface of the upper airway, more easily triggering them to activate surrounding muscles to keep the airway open during sleep. While there is still a long way to go in terms of clinical testing and development, our study shows that targeting these receptors may be a promising avenue for future treatments.
(with inputs from agencies)
