A new study has shown that the drug "tirzepatide," known as "Mounjaro," may help treat obstructive sleep apnea in people with obesity.
Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common sleep-related breathing disorder. It occurs when the airway becomes repeatedly blocked during sleep, causing breathing to stop and start again, and can cause snoring, gasping, and frequent waking.
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Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center reviewed the results of two clinical trials involving 469 patients with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea.
Participants who received tirzepatide lost about a fifth of their body weight, and the number of breathing pauses they experienced dropped by more than 20 per hour. The results showed that 42 to 50% of them were free of obstructive sleep apnea, compared with a rate about three times lower among those who received a placebo.
Researchers believe weight loss is likely the main factor behind this improvement, since fat accumulation around the neck can narrow the airway and make breathing more difficult during sleep.
However, the findings do not suggest that tirzepatide can replace a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine, especially for people with severe cases. The device remains one of the primary treatments for the condition, and reduced breathing pauses by more than 30 per hour among its users.
It also remains unclear whether the benefits of tirzepatide persist after stopping the medication, given the possibility of regaining weight. Previous studies have shown that regaining some weight after stopping weight-loss drugs is common, which could lead to the return of the return of sleep apnea.
