The answer to a common condition that causes snoring and high blood pressure could lie in a simple nasal spray.
Sleep apnea is a narrowing of the airways that causes snoring and breathing difficulties whilst asleep.
It can lead to high blood pressure and increase the risks of stroke, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, depression or mood changes as well as daytime tiredness.
Researchers discovered that seven out of 10 sleep apnea patients had reduced airway collapses during sleep.
But they think a nasal spray containing potassium channel blockers could be the answer.
Lead author Dr. Amal Osman, from Flinders University, Australia, said: “Potassium channel blockers are a class of drugs that block the potassium channel in the central nervous system.
“When used in a nasal spray, the blockers have the potential to increase the activity of the muscles that keep the upper airway open and reduce the likelihood of the throat collapsing during sleep.”
The researchers define Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as a sleep disorder where the muscles in the back of the throat relax and the upper airway narrows or collapses, restricting oxygen intake, causing people to wake repeatedly throughout the night.
The study published in The Journal of Heart and Circulatory Physiology, was a blind trial of 10 people with OSA who were given one of three types of nasal spray.
They were a potassium blocker nasal spray, a placebo nasal spray or the potassium nasal spray in combination with restricted ‘nasal only’ breathing.
Seven out of the ten given potassium channel blockers showed signs of a reduction in the frequency of upper airway collapsing episodes during sleep.
The study also found that it lowered their blood pressure the next morning. The use of the spray with restricted ‘nasal only’ breathing did not improve quality of sleep in this trial.
Professor Danny Eckert, College of Medicine and Public Health said: “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.”
Currently, there are no approved drugs for treating OSA.
Dr. Osman adds: “What we have discovered is that the nasal spray application of the potassium channel blocker that we tested is safe and well tolerated.
“Those who had a physiological improvement in their airway function during sleep also had between 25-45 percent reductions in markers of their OSA severity, including improved oxygen levels as well as a reduction in their blood pressure the next day.”
The new research offers hope to help millions of people around the world affected by sleep apnea.
Professor Danny Eckert concludes: “Treatment options are limited and while continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines are a proven treatment for OSA, around 50 percent of people struggle to tolerate them.
“Through these findings and future research we are getting closer to developing new and effective drugs that are safe and easy to use.”
Produced in association with SWNS Talker
