Using a special nasal spray before sleeping not only reduces the severity of sleep apnea but also lowers blood pressure.
A new study involving experts from Flinders University examined how so-called BAY2586116 nasal spray affects the severity of obstructive sleep apnea and how individual responses vary. The results are published in the “Journal of Heart and Circulatory Physiology”.
What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea?
Millions of people around the world suffer from sleep apnea, a debilitating chronic breathing disorder that is associated with an increased risk of a range of diseases, including cardiovascular disease, stroke, obesity, diabetes, anxiety and depression, the researchers explain .
“Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a sleep disorder in which the muscles at the back of the throat relax and the upper airway narrows or collapses, limiting oxygen supply and causing people to wake up repeatedly during the night,” said the study author Professor Danny Eckert in a press release.
Unfortunately, there are currently only limited options available for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea. There are so-called CPAP devices (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure), but around 50 percent of those affected cannot tolerate this form of treatment, the doctor adds.
How does the nasal spray work?
A new nasal spray based on a so-called potassium channel blocker could significantly improve treatment options. The research team verified this in the study of a total of ten people with obstructive sleep apnea who underwent three polysomnographic examinations to determine the severity of their sleep apnea.
Participants were randomly assigned to receive either a placebo saline nasal spray, the BAY2586116 nasal spray, or BAY2586116 nasal spray with nasal breathing secured by a chin strap or mouth band, the team reports.
Fewer pauses in breathing
According to Dr. Osman found that the tested nasal spray application of the potassium channel blocker was safe and well tolerated.
Seven of the participants responded to the potassium channel blocker nasal spray and showed a lower frequency of pauses in breathing during sleep and lower blood pressure the next morning, the researchers continued.
However, when the spray was combined with measures to ensure nasal breathing, it did not lead to an improvement in sleep quality.
Participants who experienced a physiological improvement in their respiratory function during sleep also had their obstructive sleep apnea severity markers decrease by 25 to 45 percent. This was accompanied by improved oxygen levels and a reduction in blood pressure the next day, explains Dr. Ottoman.
Hope for new treatment options
“These findings provide a potential avenue for the development of new therapeutic solutions for people with OSA who cannot tolerate CPAP devices and/or upper airway surgery, as well as for people who want alternatives to existing therapies,” explains Professor Eckert .
“There are currently no approved drugs to treat 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,” adds Professor Eckert. (as)
