Experts say that if the new drug gets approved, it may lead to a big shift in how we treat the condition.
For decades, the primary treatment for sleep apnea has been continuous positive airway pressure (or CPAP). Before bed, those with the condition put on a face mask that is connected to a CPAP machine, which keeps the airway open by forcing air into it. The machines are effective, but many find them so noisy, cumbersome or uncomfortable that they end up abandoning them.
Now, a more appealing option may be on the way, according to a news release from Apnimed, a pharmaceutical company focused on treating sleep apnea. On Wednesday, the company announced a second round of positive Phase 3 clinical trial results for a first-of-its-kind oral pill that can be taken just before bedtime to help keep a person’s airway open.
Curious how this would work. My experience with cpap is that it is effectively using a physical approach to keeping the airway open, fighting gravity if you will. I assume a pill would have to take a novel approach.
Anyone have a Wikipedia link to the drug mentioned? NYTimes is hiding the name behind a paywall.
This is an older article, but I think this is what they are talking about.
Thanks! It’s bizarre to me that a pill could work for apnea.
