United States: The research carried out based on the survey of sleep disorders reveals that over twenty-five percent of adults in the US, or rather about 30 million people, have been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
More about the news
In a recent article released, the American FDA approved the first prescription of medication related to this issue.
However, current medical practitioners are okaying Zepbound (tirzepatide), a weight loss product, for use in treating OSA by ensuring that the patients do not take many calories.
This is in view of the fact that it was established that although the incidences of OSA can be universal, it is most rife among those who are obese or overweight, tomsguide.com reported.
About OSA
OSA is the condition whereby the patient’s upper airway is narrowed or obstructed, leading to interruptions in breathing during sleep.
For moderate to severe obstructive apnea in adults with obesity, Zepbound efficacy was determined in two randomized placebo-controlled studies on participants with type 2 diabetes.
FDA approves first medication for obstructive sleep apnea, which also promotes weight loss: https://t.co/76MJ8zhiAR // Great to see new options to treat sleep apnoea emerging.
— ThirdPillarofHealth (@3rdPillarHealth) January 7, 2025
Effect sizes ranged from follow-up tests and controls to an OSA treatment study that assigned patients with positive airway pressure or PAP, the most suitable treatment for OSA, to another study that included participants who were unable or unwilling to use PAP.
As a result, more subjects who received the actual drug, Zepbound, demonstrated a decrease in the overall frequency of apnea or hypopnea as compared to the subjects that had been given the control drug.
Types of sleep apnea
There are two types of sleep apnea – central sleep apnea (CSA), the type that arises when the brain ceases to trigger breathing, and obstructive sleep apnea or OSA, in which breathing is cut off and starts again as the throat muscles become overly relaxed to close the airway during the night, tomsguide.com reported.
If left untreated, OSA will disrupt overall sleep, including its quality, and which will have other repercussions affecting overall health and wellness, even in relation to mental disorders.
Still, predestination can happen to children, but at the same time, some factors can make certain people vulnerable.
Some of the habits that, when adopted, highlight someone as possibly having OSA are Obesity, smoking, alcohol intake, and poor sleep habits.