A new nasal spray appears to reduce the severity of sleep apnea in patients as well as complications related to the disease, according to Australian researchers.
- A new nasal spray, applied at bedtime, reduces the severity of sleep apnea.
- It also reduces blood pressure in patients with sleep apnea.
- For researchers, the promising results of the nasal spray open a potential avenue for the development of new therapeutic solutions.
“Sleep apnea or obstructive sleep apnea–hypopnea syndrome (OSAS) is a sleep disorder in which the muscles in the back of the throat relax and the upper airway narrows or collapses, limiting supply of oxygen and causing repeated awakenings throughout the night”explains Professor Danny Eckert from the College of Medicine and Public Health (Australia) in a communicated.
While therapeutic options remain limited, the scientist and his team tested a new treatment: a new nasal spray that inhibits potassium channels to be used at bedtime. The first promising results were presented in the journal The Journal of Heart and Circulatory Physiology.
Nasal spray against sleep apnea: a reduction in episodes observed
“Potassium channel blockers are a class of drugs that block potassium channels in the central nervous system. When used in a nasal spray, the blockers have the potential to increase the activity of the muscles that maintain the airway open uppers and reduce the risk of throat collapse during sleep”specifies Dr Amal Osman, lead author of the study.
To verify its effects on patients with sleep apnea, researchers brought together 30 patients. They were divided into three groups: one received the new treatment, the second had a placebo nasal spray and the third the new nasal spray as well as a device forcing them to breathe through their nose.
Result: 7 out of ten people responded to the potassium channel blocker nasal spray. They showed a reduction in the frequency of apnea episodes during sleep and a drop in blood pressure the next morning. Using a breathing machine at night in addition to the nasal spray did not improve sleep quality in this trial.
Sleep apnea treatment: more research needed
“What we found is that the nasal spray application of the potassium channel blocker we tested is safe and well tolerated. Those who experienced a physiological improvement in their respiratory function during sleep also found a 25-45% reduction in markers of the severity of their OSAHS, including improved oxygen levels as well as a reduction in their blood pressure the next day“, explains Dr. Osman.
For researchers, their results open the way to a new therapeutic avenue for people suffering from sleep apnea, particularly those who have difficulty tolerating continuous positive airway pressure devices and/or who cannot benefit from upper respiratory surgery. . However, further research is needed before the treatment can be exploited.
