The new anti-diabetes drug (which helps you lose weight) is also effective against sleep apnea

The tirzepatide drug (Mounjaro)born as an anti-diabetes drug and recently became the second medicine, after semaglutide (Ozempic and Wegovy) to be approved for weight loss, has proven to be effective also against sleep apneaa medical condition characterized by interruptions in breathing during sleep.

Also known as obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome, OSAS), sleep apnea can lead to reduced oxygen levels in the blood and a higher risk of cardiovascular complications, such as hypertension, heart attack and stroke, which is why it is a disorder that causes not just frequent awakenings during the nightwith all the consequences this entails, but it can also increase the likelihood of developing other chronic and life-threatening conditions.

Worldwide, it is estimated that approximately 900 million people suffer from sleep apnea, for which treatment options are however limited to the control of risk factors (such as obesity, abuse of alcohol and sleeping pills and low levels of thyroid hormones) and use of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) using a mask which is applied to the nose and mouth and which forces the passage of air, facilitating breathing.

However, many people do not tolerate CPAP, mainly because they have difficulty sleeping while wearing a device: around a third of patients stop using the mask or use it only from time to time, thus neglecting the condition and letting their symptoms, such as snoring and shortness of breathdetected first by the person who sleeps or lives with the person suffering from the disorder, make it difficult to maintain continuous sleep and can lead to more serious conditions.

The study on tirzepatide: also effective against sleep apnea

The tirzepatide drug (trade name Mounjaro), indicated for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and approved for a few months for body weight control, has shown that it can also be the first potential pharmacological treatment for sleep apneahaving produced significant results in reducing the number of breathing interruptions during sleep, a key indicator in measuring the severity of the condition.

In two separate studies, both Phase 3, involving 469 adults with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea and obesity, participants who received tirzepatide (10 mg or 15 mg) for 52 weeks showed a clear improvement in night breathinggoing from 50 breath stops per hour on average to about 29 events per hour, with a slightly more marked difference in participants who were also using CPAP.

Specifically, as detailed in the published trial results New England Journal of Medicinein participants in Study 1, who at baseline showed an average of 51.5 breath stops per hour, the change was -25.3 events per hour in the tirzepatide group versus -5.3 events per hour in the placebo group, for an estimated treatment difference of -20.0 events per hour. In study 2 participants, who also used CPAP and showed 49.5 breath interruptions per hour at baseline, the change was was -29.3 events per hour with tirzepatide and -5.5 events per hour (95% CI, -9.9 to -1.2) with placebo, for an estimated treatment difference of -23.8 events per hour.

Results they highlighted the potential of tirzepatide in the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea, suggesting how this medicine is effective not only against diabetes and obesity but could soon become a valid product also in improving the quality of life of people suffering from sleep apnea.

“These findings mark a significant milestone in the treatment of the condition, offering a promising new therapeutic option addresses both respiratory and metabolic complications – said Atul Malhotra, lead author of the study and professor of medicine at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine – . Tirzepatide offers a more accessible alternative for people who cannot tolerate CPAP but may also represent a combined treatment with CPAC which, in addition to diabetes control and weight loss, is optimal in reducing cardiometabolic risk and symptoms of the condition”.