United States: It has also been discovered that a particular drug that is normally prescribed to regulate type 2 diabetes can be useful in treating sleep apnea.
More about the news
A global clinical trial has revealed that tirzepatide effectively reduces the number of breath disturbances during a patient’s sleep, an essential aspect that helps determine the severity of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
Tirzepatide belongs to the class of blockbuster GLP-1 medicines used to treat diabetes as an anti-diabetic drug. It is sold under the brand name Mounjaro to fight diabetes and for weight loss under the brand name Zepbound.
According to Dr. Atul Malhotra, the study leader and the director of sleep medicine at UC San Diego Health, “This study marks a significant milestone in the treatment of OSA, offering a promising new therapeutic option that addresses both respiratory and metabolic complications,” as US News reported.

More about OSA and its treatment
OSA is identified by the presence of recurrent respiratory abnormalities during sleep caused by total or partial narrowing of the upper breathing passage.
It can cause reduced levels of oxygen in the blood and also cause an increased risk of hypertension, heart disease, and other complications.
Globally, according to researcher estimates stands at over 900 million who have OSA, where 469 respondents selected across nine countries including the US. All of them had clinically defined obesity, and moderate to severe OSA.
Some of the patients used continuous positive airway pressure management or popularly known as CPAP where the machinery helps the airway remain open during a sleep cycle. Each participant was then administered 10 or 15 mg of tirzepatide or a placebo.
Preliminary findings showed that over the one-year period, tirzepatide reduced patients’ breathing interruptions during sleep. Their improvement was much greater than that seen in the placebo group, hence the conclusion that bupropion helps patients with binge eating disorders. This meant that several of the studied patients might not require regular use of CPAP therapy anymore.
The results released in the New England Journal of Medicine June 21, depicted the fact that a medication aimed at treating apnea, as well as obesity is more effective than the treatment of either ailment alone.
The findings, published June 21 in the New England Journal of Medicine, add to evidence that a drug targeting both apnea and obesity is better than treating either condition on its own.
Researchers said drug therapy improved other aspects related to OSA, such as weight improvement. Some patients, however, had mild stomach issues.
According to Malhotra, “This breakthrough opens the door to a new era of OSA management for people diagnosed with obesity, potentially transforming how we approach and treat this pervasive condition on a global scale,” as US News reported.