Abstract
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) remains a prominent disease state characterized by the recurrent collapse of the upper airway while sleeping. To date, current treatment may include continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), lifestyle changes, behavioral modification, mandibular advancement devices, and surgical treatment. However, due to the desire for a more convenient mode of management, pharmacological treatment has been thoroughly investigated as a means for a potential alternative in OSA treatment. OSA can be distinguished into various endotypic or phenotypic classes, allowing pharmacological treatment to better target the root cause or symptoms of OSA. Some medications available for use include antidepressants, CNS stimulants, nasal decongestants, carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, and potassium channel blockers. This review will cover the findings of currently available and future study medications that could potentially play a role in OSA therapy.
Highlights
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a prominent chronic disease of upper airway obstruction that predominantly affects middle-aged and elderly populations and frequently goes undiagnosed and under-treated [1]
The clinical presentation of OSA seems harmless, if left untreated, it can increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) such as stroke, hypertension, atrial fibrillation, pulmonary hypertension, and myocardial infarction
continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is the gold standard due to its ability to increase oxygenation in the blood and decrease blood pressure and sleep fragmentation caused by OSA [9,10,11], the short-term patient compliance rate may vary from 42% to 75%, with higher compliance potentially attributed to factors such as increases in patient education and follow-up visits [12,13]
Summary
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a prominent chronic disease of upper airway obstruction that predominantly affects middle-aged and elderly populations and frequently goes undiagnosed and under-treated [1]. CPAP is the gold standard due to its ability to increase oxygenation in the blood and decrease blood pressure and sleep fragmentation caused by OSA [9,10,11], the short-term patient compliance rate may vary from 42% to 75%, with higher compliance potentially attributed to factors such as increases in patient education and follow-up visits [12,13] Pharmacological agents such as corticosteroids and nasal saline rinses have demonstrated moderate effectiveness in improving CPAP compliance when in combination with other standard interventions such as mask refitting and heated humidification [14]. More research and resources need to still be dedicated towards pharmacological treatment to prove its efficacy, improve treatment adherence rates, and increase accessibility
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