Sleep apnea syndrome can be relieved with a nasal spray
Last reviewed: 07.06.2024
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If you use a special nasal spray with calcium antagonists shortly before sleep, you can alleviate the manifestations of sleep apnea syndrome and normalize blood pressure. This was reported by experts from the Australian Flinders University.
Sleep apnea syndrome is a respiratory disorder manifested by brief pauses in breathing during sleep. The syndrome is closely related to high risks of subsequent health problems: patients suffering from sleep apnea are much more likely to develop strokes, cardiovascular pathologies, depressive states, metabolic disorders and so on.
To date, the treatment of the syndrome is to ensure the maintenance of constant positive pressure in the respiratory tract, and in complex cases, surgical intervention is prescribed.
Recently, specialists have tried a new method of treating sleep apnea using a nasal spray containing calcium antagonists - potassium channel blockers. Local spraying of the drug on the nasal mucosa increased the activity of the dilating muscles, reducing the likelihood of airway collapse.
Ten patients who had previously undergone several nocturnal polysomnography procedures with a week's interval between them took part in testing the new therapy method. In a random order shortly before sleep, the patients were injected with an experimental drug in the form of a nasal spray in the amount of 160 mcg, or a conventional isotonic sodium chloride solution, or practically the same experimental drug, but intended only to facilitate nasal breathing.
Participants of the first group showed an average 30-40% reduction in the manifestations of sleep apnea syndrome. In addition, the signs of hyposocia decreased and blood pressure normalized already on the next day after the experimental drug administration. Respiratory arrest practically ceased, even when participants slept lying on their backs. The overall quality of night rest was significantly improved, which could not be said about the participants of the next two groups.
Sleep apnea is not harmless, but rather a dangerous pathological condition that should not be ignored. Breathing in a person with apnea can be suspended dozens of times for one hour. If you add together all periods of such suspensions, you can accumulate up to 3-4 hours of hypoxia.
The researchers concluded that the new method with the introduction of calcium antagonists into the nasal cavity is affordable, safe and effective. In the future, we can talk about the potential creation of new nasal medications for patients with sleep apnea syndrome, including people who for one reason or another are not suitable for other methods of therapy.
Details of the study are outlined on the journal's webpage at Journals Physiology