A medication called sulthiame may help people with obstructive sleep apnea breathe more easily during the night and sleep better overall.
A total of 298 people with moderate to severe sleep apnea participated in the trial.
This helps lower the likelihood that the upper airway will collapse during sleep, which is the main cause of obstructive sleep apnea.
Obstructive sleep apnea happens when the upper airway repeatedly collapses during sleep.
Over time, untreated sleep apnea raises the risk of serious health problems, including high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.
Even though sleep apnea is common, there is currently no medication that directly treats its underlying cause.
Researchers are now investigating whether it could also become a drug treatment for sleep apnea. »