Long confused with simple snoring, obstructive sleep apnea actually affects much more people than we think. “”It is estimated that 4 % of the population suffer from this syndrome, but the exact figure would be closer to 8 %“Confided in a previous article Professor Jean-Louis Racinée, head of the pneumology department at the CHU D” Angers.
A pathology that is treated in binding devices
Today, the reference treatment of the disease is based on a continuous positive pressure mask (CPAP), which maintains the open respiratory tract by sending pressure under pressure.
“This process is most often effective, but many patients find it difficult to manage this binding device“Recognizes Professor Racineine.
Alternatives exist, such as mandibular advanced orthotics, kinds of night dental devices that advance the jaw to release the pharynx. Effective in 60 % of cases, these devices remain insufficient for certain patient profiles.
A pill seems promising, faced with the limits of current treatments
In this context, a new therapeutic advance attracts the attention of the medical profession. A pill, currently under study, combines two known molecules: Atomoxetine, used against ADHD, and arroxybutynin, prescribed against bladder hyperactivity.
This experimental treatment, baptized AD109, was tested by APNIMED on 646 patients for six months.
Result: a 56 % reduction in night obstructive events, with 22 % of participants who have reached almost total control of their disease (less than five stops per hour), regardless of their weight.
“”We clearly enter the era of precision medicine applied to sleep. This medication is a major advance“Affirm Klar Yaggi, an associate professor at the Yale School of Medicine.
Encouraging results but still subject to validation
The effectiveness of the molecule is based on the toning of the muscles of the upper airways, including the Génioglosse muscle, which prevents the collapse of the pharynx during sleep.
Neurologist Sigrid Veasey, sleep specialist at the University of Pennsylvania, welcomes this advance. “”It is quite clear that this drug combination reduces episodes of obstructive sleep apnea. And it reduces the severity of oxygen falls during sleep. It’s exciting“.
If the arrival of oral treatment arouses so much interest, it is also because it could transform the quality of life of many patients who do not support current solutions. Especially since unlike other options, its effectiveness does not depend on weight loss.
However, everything is not yet acquired. Atomoxetine could increase in blood pressure and reduce the quality of restorative sleep. “”It is also necessary to assess its impact on inflammatory markers “ warn the researchers. The American FDA (Food and Drug Administration) should analyze the data during the year 2025, with a possible marketing authorization in 2026.
A syndrome that generates chronic fatigue, but not only
Sleep apnea would affect around 2.5 million French people. These judgments, or discounts of the respiratory flow, cause a fall in blood oxygenation and force unconscious micro-acknowledgment.
Beyond chronic fatigue, the long-term consequences can be severe: memory disorders, irritability, but also high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, or even cerebral vascular accidents.
This advance could therefore mark a potential turning point in the way in which sleep apnea is treated, a sometimes minimized pathology. In the meantime, the expert recalls the main causes of the disease.
“”In 70 % of signs of obstructive sleep apnea, there is a problem of overweight and in 50 % of the cases of diabetes “ Recalls Professor Racinée. And current solutions. “”Dietary management is therefore essential. If we improve the weight problem, we generally decrease the severity of the aphoated syndrome. So much so that in some cases the disorder disappears“.