United States: A drug used in Europe to treat epilepsy could help sleep apnoea sufferers, a new study has revealed.
Sulthiame users recorded the following clinical trial outcomes presented on Tuesday at the European Respiratory Society annual meeting in Vienna: Apnea-hypopnea index: 5.2 episodes per hour; Oxygen saturation: 94.2 percent.
“This says that sulthiame might be a useful remedy for an obstructive sleep apnea individual who are unable to use mechanical solutions like the CPAP machine,” Hedner added.
As reported by HealthDay, Sulthiame has not had FDA approval for use in the United States, but the substance is used in Europe for epilepsy treatment. It seems to reduce seizures possibly by raising blood concentrations of an already determined antiepileptic drug known as phenytoin.
The drug also affects the respiratory system since it blocks an enzyme known as carbonic anhydrase to stimulate upper airway muscles, the researchers further added.
For the study, the investigators enlisted 286 patients with sleep apnea who were receiving treatment at hospitals in Spain, France, Belgium, Germany and the Czech Republic. Only a few patients claimed to not be using Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, or breathing apparatus such as a mask to be worn during sleep.
Sulthiame was administered to 75 percent of the participants either at increased or at standard dosages while the rest of the participants were grouped under the placebo treatment.
The effects of sulthiame were noted to mean up to 40-50 percent improvement on breathing at night compared to placebo patients based on observation of sleep apnea, according to the medical experts.
Sulthaime patients were also found to be less sleepy during the day, according to the study conducted.
Side effects were ranged mildly to moderately, comprising numb and tingling sensations, headache, tiredness and sickness.
The individuals receiving sulthiame in the trial experienced a decrease in the obstructive sleep apnea symptoms including the episodes of ceasing to breathe during the night and sleepiness during the day,” Hedner said in a meeting news release.
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