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Zepbound injection pen
The weight-loss drug Zepbound, commonly known as tirzepatide, is also now approved to treat obstructive sleep apnea, according to the Food and Drug Administration. press release.
A federal agency has approved Eli Lilly’s weight loss drug for use in “the treatment of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in obese adults.” In addition to prescribing GLP-1, the FDA recommends reducing calorie intake and increasing exercise.
According to the FDA, sleep apnea “occurs when the upper airway becomes obstructed and breathing stops during sleep.”
“Today’s approval marks the first drug treatment option for certain patients with obstructive sleep apnea,” said Sally Seymour, M.D., director of the Division of Pulmonology, Allergy, and Critical Care in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, in a press release. stated in the release. . “This is a huge step forward for patients with obstructive sleep apnea.”
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Stock image of a woman using a humidifier to treat sleep apnea
The FDA conducted two studies, both of which found that Zepbound can help reduce sleep apnea symptoms in some patients by helping them lose weight. Both studies monitored obese adults with moderate to severe sleep apnea for 52 weeks.
Unlike participants who received a placebo, those who received the drug experienced a “statistically significant and clinically meaningful reduction” in episodes of shallow breathing and temporary respiratory arrest. This finding was found in both participants who used a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine and those who did not.
Related: Medicare covers Wegobee’s heart disease, but not weight loss.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) also Supports new FDA approvals. But treating sleep apnea is not an option for everyone, so the organization is “dedicated to the medical subspecialty of sleep medicine,” Seppbound said.
“Excess weight is a major predisposition to sleep apnea, but many cases of sleep apnea are related to other factors, such as jaw and upper airway structures,” the AASM said on December 21. said in a statement on the day.
The AASM said Zepbound patients should be aware that continued weight loss is required for the prescription to be effective against sleep apnea.
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Stock image of a man wearing a mask to treat sleep apnea.
Zepbound’s approval follows a series of other weight loss drugs approved to treat conditions other than obesity and diabetes. In March, weight loss drug Wegovy was approved by the FDA. To prevent strokes and heart attacks.
In addition to GLP-1 formulations to treat heart disease, sleep apnea, and obesity, there is also increasing research into its potential to treat addiction and certain cancers. NPR.
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