Epilepsy drugs may help prevent breathing from temporarily ceasing in people with sleep apnea, say researchers the study.
Obstructive sleep apnea is a common breathing disorder that Approximately 1 in 20 people are affectedAccording to the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, people who don’t get enough sleep tend to have poor quality sleep. They may snore loudly, start and stop breathing during the night, and wake up frequently. This not only makes you feel tired, but it can also increase your risk of high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.
An international study has found that epilepsy medication significantly reduces symptoms of sleep apnea.
The findings, presented at the European Respiratory Society Congress in Vienna, Austria, suggest that for people who cannot use mechanical respiratory support, there are options: Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines.
Professor Jan Hedner, from Sahlgrenska University Hospital and the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, said: “The standard treatment for obstructive sleep apnoea is to sleep with a machine that pumps air through a face mask to keep the airway open. Unfortunately, many people find it difficult to use these machines for long periods of time, so alternative treatments need to be found.”
Researchers conducted a randomized controlled trial in nearly 300 people with epilepsy who were not using CPAP devices in Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Germany and Spain. Patients were divided into four groups and received one of three strengths of sulthiame or a placebo.
The study measured patients’ breathing, oxygen levels, heart rhythm, eye movements, and brain and muscle activity while they slept at the start of the study and after four and 12 weeks.
After 12 weeks, people taking sulthiame were found to have up to 50% fewer breath-stops and higher blood oxygen levels while sleeping, with the effects being most pronounced in those taking the highest dose of the drug.
Hedner said the findings suggest that sulthiame could be an effective treatment for the disease, but that larger studies are needed to confirm that the drug provides beneficial respiratory effects in a larger group of patients with sleep apnea.
Erica Radford, head of health advice at the British Asthma and Lung Association, said the findings were the first step in moving away from sleep devices to drug therapy. “This alternative to the current mainstay treatments could help people better manage their condition,” she added.
“This is an important study that shows that pharmacological treatment of sleep apnoea may not be a reality any time soon,” said Dr Sriram Iyer, a respiratory and sleep specialist and incoming president of the Royal Society of Medicine’s Division of Sleep Medicine.
While further research will look at long-term benefits, side effects and whether there are certain types of patients who benefit more from the treatment, “it’s crucial to remember that sleep apnea is almost always associated with obesity, and addressing this should be a priority,” she said.
