Study shows: Epilepsy medication could alleviate symptoms of sleep apnea | Sleep apnea

An epilepsy drug could help prevent temporary pauses in breathing in patients with sleep apnea, research suggests.

Obstructive sleep apnea is a common breathing problem that affects around one in 20 people, according to the UK's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Patients often snore loudly, their breathing stops and pauses throughout the night, and they may wake up several times. This not only causes fatigue, but can also increase the risk of high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.

An international study has shown that an epilepsy drug is associated with a significant reduction in sleep apnea symptoms.

The results, presented at the European Respiratory Society Congress in Vienna, Austria, showed that there are potential options for those who cannot use mechanical breathing aids such as continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines.

Prof Jan Hedner from Sahlgrenska University Hospital and the University of Gothenburg in Sweden said: “The standard treatment for obstructive sleep apnea is to sleep with a device that blows air through a face mask to keep the airways open. Unfortunately, many people find it difficult to use these devices in the long term, so there is a need for alternative treatment options.”

The researchers conducted a randomized controlled trial involving nearly 300 patients with obstructive sleep apnea in Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Germany and Spain who did not use CPAP machines. They were divided into four groups and received one of three doses of sulthiame or a placebo.

As part of the study, the patients' breathing, oxygen levels, heart rhythm, eye movements, and brain and muscle activity were measured during sleep, at the beginning of the study, after four weeks, and after twelve weeks.

After 12 weeks, patients taking sulthiame experienced up to 50 percent fewer apnea episodes and higher levels of oxygen in their blood during sleep. The effects were most pronounced at the highest doses of the drug.

According to Hedner, the results suggest that sulthiame could be an effective treatment for the condition, but a larger study is needed to confirm the drug's beneficial effects on the respiratory system in a larger group of sleep apnea patients.

Erika Radford, head of health advice at Asthma + Lung UK, said the findings were a first step towards moving from breathing machines worn during sleep to drug treatment. “This potential alternative to the current main treatment would make it easier for people to manage their condition,” she added.

Dr Sriram Iyer, consultant pulmonologist and sleep medicine specialist and President-elect of the Sleep Medicine Section of the Royal Society of Medicine, said: “This is an important study that shows that drug therapy for sleep apnea is not far from reality.”

While further studies will examine the long-term benefits and possible side effects and clarify whether there are certain types of patients who would benefit more from the treatment, “it is crucial that we do not forget that sleep apnea is in most cases related to obesity and treating this problem should be a priority,” she said.