By Caitlin Tilley, Dailymail.Com Health Reporter
October 16, 2023 23:27, updated October 16, 2023 23:35
- Canadian researchers found three anti-fatigue drugs may be effective
- Solliamfetol (brand name SUNOSI) turns out to make the biggest difference
- Read more: 1 in 5 Americans has a potentially fatal sleep disorder
Scientists have discovered a drug that fights daytime sleepiness better than espresso.
Canadian researchers have found that three anti-fatigue drugs are effective in reducing daytime sleepiness.
They reviewed previous research on drug therapy in people with obstructive sleep apnea who were already using other treatments, such as positive airway pressure (PAP) masks.
Sleep apnea is a common sleep-related condition in which breathing stops and starts again during the night, putting your body at risk of becoming dangerously deprived of the oxygen it needs. Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common type.
Researchers reviewed 14 previous clinical trials involving a total of 3,085 participants with obstructive sleep apnea and associated excessive daytime sleepiness.
They compared the effectiveness of three anti-fatigue drugs: solriamfetol, armodafinil/modafinil, and pitolisant.
All three were found to be more effective than placebo drugs in combating fatigue in patients, with solriamfetol having the greatest impact.
Participants’ fatigue levels were measured using self-report questionnaires and a test called the Maintenance of Wakefulness Test (MWT), which measures daytime alertness.
This includes people trying to stay awake in a dimly lit room while wearing sensors to measure their vital signs.
Armodafinil modafinil and pitolisant were found to “likely improve” alertness after one month of use.
Researchers noted that the drug’s side effects could be a problem for users.
For example, solriamfetol is associated with increased blood pressure.
The study was published in the journal Annual report of internal medicine.
The manufacturer of the drug Solriamfetol (trade name SUNOSI) says it improves alertness for up to nine hours. With caffeine, he probably won’t feel the effects after 4-6 hours.
