Big Pharma’s risky ‘treatment’ for deadly sleep condition

Sleep apnea is no joke. It affects nearly ONE MILLION people worldwide and goes way beyond loud snoring.

It can cause you to stop breathing for 10 seconds or more at a time… and can increase your risk for hypertension… heart disease… type 2 diabetes… depression… and even early DEATH!

The most popular treatment for sleep apnea is a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine, which is designed to help regulate breathing while you sleep.

There are plenty of benefits to CPAP machines, but many folks find they’re too bulky, hard to clean, and downright uncomfortable.

Well, Big Pharma has swooped in and claimed they have a better ‘treatment.’

And wouldn’t you know it—it’s a DRUG!

But you may want to think twice before considering it.

A study out of Australia claims a drug previously used to treat depression—sold under the name reboxetine—may help reduce the severity of sleep apnea.

The study compared single doses of reboxetine to a combination of both reboxetine and oxybutynin (another drug previously used to treat sleep apnea), and a placebo amongst a group of patients diagnosed with sleep apnea.

The results of their study concluded that reboxetine:

• On its own can reduce sleep apnea severity
• Reduces the number of sleep apnea events per hour
• And, improves oxygen levels (noting the addition of oxybutynin didn’t cause additional improvements)

Those are positive results, I won’t argue with that.

But two things to note (about the study and reboxetine).

One, the study only looked at 16 people. For a condition that affects nearly a billion folks around the world, I’d hardly call that a strong sample size.

Two, reboxetine comes with a long list of side effects—including dizziness, dry mouth, constipation, nausea, sweating, and even insomnia (which negates that whole “better sleep” thing doesn’t it?).

The bottom line?

If you have sleep apnea and are looking to ditch your CPAP, talk to your doctor about the best approach. If he mentions reboxetine, mention any concerns you have about a drug with a questionable track record.

Consider lifestyle changes that can have a positive impact on the severity of sleep apnea. For example, losing weight is often one of the best ways to combat sleep apnea.

To restful and safe sleep,

Cory Templeman
Senior Editor, eAlert

Sources:

Anderer, John. “Depression drug reboxetine may help relieve sleep apnea.” https://studyfinds.org/depression-reboxetine-sleep-apnea/

Rajput, Kartic. “Reboxetine (Edronax): The Most Controversial Antidepressant.” https://www.psycom.net/reboxetine-edronax