Suffer from sleep apnea? A bedtime nasal spray that lowers blood pressure could be the solution.
The results of a study published in the American Journal of Physiology’s Journal of Heart and Circulatory Physiology suggest that a potassium channel blocker nasal spray could reduce the severity of sleep apnea. The medication could help millions worldwide who suffer from the chronic respiratory condition.
“Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a sleep disorder where the muscles in the back of the throat relax and the upper airway narrows or collapses, restricting oxygen intake and causing people to wake repeatedly throughout the night,” professor Danny Eckert of the College of Medicine and Public Health at Flinders University in Australia said in a statement.
Seventy percent of participants responded positively to the potassium channel blocker nasal spray. They experienced a reduction in the number of times that their upper airways collapsed during sleep and had lower blood pressure when they awoke in the morning. The severity of symptoms was reduced by between 25 percent and 45 percent, according to the study’s lead author, Amal Osman.
“What we have discovered is that the nasal spray application of the potassium channel blocker that we tested is safe, well tolerated,” Ms. Osman said in the statement.
A Pathway to a Novel Drug?
Currently, there are no medications approved to treat obstructive sleep apnea. The standard treatment is for patients to connect to continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, machines overnight. CPAP is considered the gold standard of care, as it can improve symptoms and overall quality of life. However, people sometimes have difficulty adjusting to CPAP machines. According to a 2017 study published in Neurology Clinical Practice on treatment options for OSA, CPAP machines aren’t for everyone. Sometimes, patients find the masks uncomfortable or feel claustrophobic while wearing them. The pressure may be intolerable, or, in other cases, lifestyle or social considerations may make the machines unbearable.Sometimes, surgery is an option for patients with OSA. The research team for the 2017 study noted that “nasal, palatal, or jaw surgeries may be considered for treatment of OSA in appropriate patients.”
The potassium channel blocker nasal spray could be a boon for the millions suffering from obstructive sleep apnea. Potassium channel blockers work by blocking potassium in the central nervous system. They are often prescribed to treat arrhythmia and movement disorders associated with multiple sclerosis. Side effects of common potassium blockers include urinary tract infections, insomnia, headaches, nausea, balance disorders, constipation, hypertension, muscle spasms, and cataracts.
More research is needed on this potassium blocker nasal spray before it can be developed into a new drug, according to Mr. Eckert, but he believes that the findings are promising.
“These insights provide a potential pathway for development of new therapeutic solutions for those people with OSA who are unable to tolerate CPAP machines and/or upper airway surgery, and those with a desire for alternatives to existing therapies,” he said.
“Right now, there are no approved drugs for treating OSA, but through these findings and future research we are getting closer to developing new and effective drugs that are safe and easy to use.”
