The weight loss drug Zepbound, known generically as tirzepatide, is also now an approved drug for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea, according to a Dec. 20 Food and Drug Administration news release.
A federal agency has approved the use of Eli Lilly & Co.’s weight-loss drug. for the “treatment of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in obese adults.” In addition to the GLP-1 prescription, the FDA suggests users reduce calorie intake and increase exercise.
Sleep apnea “occurs when a person’s upper airway becomes blocked, causing pauses in breathing during sleep,” according to the FDA.
“Today’s approval marks the first drug treatment option for certain patients with obstructive sleep apnea,” said Sally Seymour, MD. MD, director of the Division of Pulmonology, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine at the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, according to a news release. . “This is a major step forward for patients with obstructive sleep apnea.”
A woman sleeps with a humidifier due to sleep apnea on May 12, 2020 in Radevormwald, Germany.
Ute Grabowsky/Photothek via Getty
The FDA conducted two studies, both of which found that Zepbound helps reduce sleep apnea symptoms in some patients by aiding weight loss. Both studies followed obese adults with moderate to severe sleep apnea over a 52-week period.
Unlike participants who received a placebo, those who received the drug experienced a “statistically significant and clinically meaningful reduction” in episodes of shallow breathing or temporary pauses in breathing. This finding was found in both participants who used a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine and those who did not.
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The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) also supports the new FDA approval. However, the organization, which is “dedicated solely to the medical subspecialty of sleep medicine,” said Zepbound believes that treating sleep apnea is not an option for everyone.
“Although excess body weight is a major predisposing factor for sleep apnea, many cases of sleep apnea are related to other factors such as jaw structure and upper airway,” the AASM said in a Dec. 21 statement.
The AASM stated that Zepbound patients should note that continued weight loss is required for the prescription to be effective against sleep apnea symptoms.
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Picture of a man wearing a mask to treat sleep apnea.
Roberto Machado Noa/LightRocket via Getty
Zepbound’s approval follows a number of other weight-loss drugs approved for medical conditions other than obesity and diabetes. In March, the FDA approved the weight loss drug Wegovy to prevent strokes and heart attacks.
Along with GLP-1 prescriptions to treat heart disease, sleep apnea and obesity, there has been an increase in research into possible treatments for addiction and certain types of cancer, according to NPR.
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education