New weight loss drugs showing promise for sleep apnea relief

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) -More than fifteen million Americans are using injectables for weight loss, like Ozempic and Wegovy, according to a new poll. But these products could do more than help people with diabetes and weight loss. They could also be the key to managing sleep apnea.

“I didn’t sleep very well. Also, I was snoring a lot,” said sleep apnea patient Steve Hujarski.

Sleep apnea affects millions of Americans. It can have a negative effect on many aspects of someone’s health.

“Sometimes I’d make the noise and wake myself up. I was tired all the time. She says I snored a lot…just not rested,” said Jim Thompson, another sleep apnea patient.

But the days of cumbersome CPAP machines could be over thanks to the same drugs that are helping so many people slim down.

“Obesity and obstructive sleep apnea in particular is very, very closely linked. So therefore, it will be very intuitive to try to have that set up as an endpoint as well for people to look at,” said Dr. Eric Yeh, a sleep specialist at University Hospitals.

He says they’re paying close attention to the studies being conducted around Zepbound, a newer weight loss injectable, and the possible benefits it might have for sleep apnea sufferers.

He says your anatomy and heredity are the most common reasons people have obstructive sleep apnea, but age and weight make it worse. Dr. Yeh says patients prescribed weight loss drugs for diabetes and weight loss may also see other benefits.

“What we’re learning right now is that as it starts to have benefits with obesity, then it also consequently shows the benefit of treating obstructive sleep apnea,” Yeh said.

The goal for his patients is to reduce their apnea-hypopnea index, or AHI, that’s how the severity of sleep apnea is measured, counting disruptions of sleep.

Ten to fifteen percent weight loss has been proven to reduce that severity, but these weight loss drugs can do even more.

“Right now with the medications like Zepbound, it’s showing that they can produce up to about 20% of weight loss, which corresponds to about 50% of AHI reduction. But some part of the patients might even have higher reductions of AHI even up to about 2/3 of the original severity,” he said.

Dr. Yeh says through significant weight loss, with or without the aid of injectable weight loss drugs, patients will see reduced apnea symptoms, increased energy, and overall better wellness.

But it’s too early to tell whether these drugs will be prescribed solely for apnea, since the cause is so closely tied to obesity.

Copyright 2024 WOIO. All rights reserved.