The National Institutes of Health have awarded a grant to researchers
exploring new avenues for mitigating and preventing sleep apnea. The grant will
fund a University of Chicago research team who is developing medication for sleep apnea
treatment.
Currently there is no medication available for alleviating sleep
apnea symptoms or reducing incidence of the disorder. University of Chicago
researchers hope to develop a drug that will block the production of a certain
enzyme that contributes to the irregular, stop-and-start breathing rate during
sleep that makes the disorder harmful.
Researchers suspect that sleep apnea disrupts cell clusters in
the throat called carotid bodies. These cells signal the brain when changes in
blood oxygen occur, thus playing a major role in maintaining regular breath.
A drug that halts the overactive response of carotid bodies
in sleep apnea patients could reduce or eliminate instances of apnea entirely,
the University of Chicago team says. If
medication becomes available, it could improve substantially on one of the
major downfalls of current sleep apnea treatment options: patient
non-compliance.
Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) devices are the
foremost treatment for sleep apnea today. However, patients often find CPAP
unworkable due to issues like:
- Uncomfortable design
- Disruption to favored sleeping positions
- Exacerbation of allergies and sinus issues
- Unpleasant noise
Oral appliances are a common alternative to CPAP. If the
Chicago study returns positive results, medication for managing sleep apnea
might one day become another option.
For more information about sleep apnea treatment, please
contact a local sleep specialist or call 1
(866) 727-6275 (1-8-NO-PAP-MASK)
today.