Weight loss drugs help ease symptoms of sleep apnea

More than 400 adults with OPS participated in the two-year study, and the researchers summarized their findings: New England Journal of MedicineThe study was sponsored by Eli Lilly and Company, the maker of Maunjaro and Zepbound.

Tirzepatide reduced OPS symptoms by almost two-thirds, or 66% in some adults, while placebo reduced symptoms by only 5%.

“The results are truly amazing.” Caroline ApovianApovian, M.D., is a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and co-director of the Center for Weight Management and Health at Brigham and Women's Hospital. Apovian was not involved in the study.

Oliver Sampin, MD “The results suggest that these medications have great potential to at least play a role in reducing OSA,” said Dr. Ian McGrath, clinical associate professor of psychiatry and sleep medicine at the Stanford University School of Medicine, who was not involved in the study, told Healthline.

The SURMOUNT-OSA trial was a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study conducted in 469 patients with OSA. The initial study included only patients with OSA and obesity who were not already using medication. Positive Airway Pressure (PAP) This therapy is considered the “gold standard” for treating OSA. In the second study, patients had the same characteristics but were already using PAP therapy.

Patients who received tirzepatide were matched 1:1 with patients who received placebo.

Both studies were conducted for 52 weeks and compared the baseline number of apnea events (instances when patients stop breathing while sleeping) with the number after 52 weeks.

In the first study, the baseline rate was 51.5 events per hour. At the end of the study, patients taking tirzepatide had 36 events per hour, a reduction of about 30%. Those taking the placebo only had a reduction of about 5 events per hour, a reduction of less than 10%.

In the second trial, in which patients were already on PAP therapy, the results were even more compelling.

The baseline event rate in the study was 49.5 events, but after 52 weeks, this had fallen to 20.2 events in the tirzepatide group, a reduction of nearly two-thirds. As in the first study, the placebo group had only about five fewer events.

Sampin told Healthline that although only outlines have been published so far, the study shows great promise.

“I think this drug (and this class) has great potential for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea. There is a great need in this field for new treatment options, and the results of this study are very promising,” he said.

Despite the compelling results, he told Healthline, “It appears that patients still have a significant degree of sleep apnea,” suggesting that treatment with these drugs doesn't eliminate sleep apnea entirely.

Secondary outcomes of the study included weight loss, improvement in blood pressure and self-reported sleep disturbance. The summary did not provide details about these outcomes, saying only that there was “significant improvement.”

Eli Lilly previously Announced in a press releaseThe researchers expected that patients taking tirzepatide would lose 18 to 20 percent of their body weight, while those taking a placebo would lose only 1 to 2 percent of their body weight.

The summary did not mention participants who dropped out of the study because of side effects, but the most common events patients reported were mild to moderate gastrointestinal problems.

Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea Although common with GLP1 drugs, other more serious complications may occur.

In 2023, the FDA will update its requirements for GLP1 drugs, Bowel obstruction warningIntestinal obstruction is a rare but potentially fatal complication.

OSA is the most common sleep-related breathing disorder and occurs when the airway becomes blocked during sleep, restricting or blocking airflow, and in some cases causing vocal cord changes and apnea during the night.

Currently, there are no drug treatments approved by the FDA for OSA, meaning that tirzepatide has great potential if it can gain FDA approval for this disease.

The “gold standard” for OSA treatment is CPAP therapy, and patients CPAP mask while sleeping. This device delivers a constant stream of compressed air to the throat and airways, keeping them open and allowing normal breathing.

Although CPAP therapy is effective, it can be cumbersome and difficult for users who don't want to wear an air mask while sleeping or who are bothered by the noise of the machine.

“CPAP works for many patients, but it's not a good solution for everyone. Many people with severe sleep apnea don't have adequate treatments. This study is very exciting as it gives reason for optimism for many of these patients,” said Sampin.

In clinical trials, tirzepatide reduced sleep apnea episodes by two-thirds, or about 66%, over 52 weeks in patients with obstructive sleep apnea. In patients who took a placebo, the reduction was less than 10%.

Result is, New England Journal of Medicine. The study involved more than 400 patients with obstructive sleep apnea.

Currently, the “gold standard” in treating sleep apnea is the CPAP machine, but some patients find it cumbersome and uncomfortable. This study suggests that there may be a ready-to-use medication for OSA.

There are no FDA-approved drug treatments for sleep apnea, and experts say the results are promising but more research is needed.