[News] NEW DRUG COMBO MAY ELIMINATE CPAP

[Sleep2Snore]

I for one will believe it when I see it, I keep coming across things like this, but never hear anything else!
How can a drug tighten all the muscles around your neck and keep it open.
I will trust my trusty CPAP thank-you!

[srlevine1]

Admin -- that is so cool. I forgot that you could post an entire article under "fair use."  Thanks for the correction. -- steve

[mesenteria]

I find such reports to be more irritating than anything else. I have often joked about, "Wait, this is "Science Tuesday", so, yeah, red wine is out this week. Wait until next week and you'll be able to enjoy a glass once again." Chocolate, apple cider, cane sugar or corn fructose, ASA, yada yada....I'll wait for my family physician or cardiac guy to tell me what they think.


Even so, I do appreciate that people are working on apnea problems, that clever minds are open to new ways of dealing with life's problems (unlike mine at 66), and that members here like our OP have the good will to post new information for all of us to reckon with. Alas, with my untreated AHI in the 'severe' part of the continuum, I'm not likely to be a beneficiary of the initially reported efficacy of approximately 50%.


Thank-you, srlevine, for posting the information. I look at it as 'hopeful'.

[Mosquitobait]

Hey it's interesting. A cpap has far fewer side effects than pills, but there are some people who are unable to use a cpap long term. However, reading the study, the drug combo doesn't really address apnea during REM which is what will keep you drowsy all day. So while the AHI number is good, does it really address the patient's daytime drowsiness?

[CB91710]

- Side effects of atomoxetine include potential hypertension and cardiac problems

That likely makes it a non-starter for most CPAP patients.
Unmedicated, my BP would often reach 200/130
More than once the Kaiser docs freaked out and insisted that I *MUST* be having chest pain and other discomfort at that level.

[srlevine1]

- Side effects of atomoxetine include potential hypertension and cardiac problems

That likely makes it a non-starter for most CPAP patients.
Unmedicated, my BP would often reach 200/130
More than once the Kaiser docs freaked out and insisted that I *MUST* be having chest pain and other discomfort at that level.

Unfortunately, the list of side effects of most drugs is horrendously scary -- perhaps they should list only one: death! And if you want to see really scary, check out amiodarone which is used to control heart arrhythmias. 

It is all a matter of weighing the risks and rewards and hopefully making the right choice.

[SuperSleeper]

Many of the so-called "warnings" on various drugs are due to overly-cautious pharmaceutical company legal departments making absolutely sure that no one can sue them.  Sometimes the warnings are legit and very possible, but most times the risk of that particular side-effect is very, very small.

Because of their lawyers, they list every possible side-effect under the sun, they can legally claim "hey, we told you about that side effect already!".  

[Mosquitobait]

Many of the so-called "warnings" on various drugs are due to overly-cautious pharmaceutical company legal departments making absolutely sure that no one can sue them.  Sometimes the warnings are legit and very possible, but most times the risk of that particular side-effect is very, very small.

Because of their lawyers, they list every possible side-effect under the sun, they can legally claim "hey, we told you about that side effect already!".  

There is truth to that but when I was taking one drug, there were 50 side effects listed and I had all but one (death).  In fact, most people had most of them, so I wasn't unique for a change.  Be that as it may, when your only focus is on AHI, you miss the big picture.  Fortunately, they see that and comment on it in the article.

[SarcasticDave94]

I dunno but death sounds a bit more serious than a mere side effect. At least it can happen only once. Oh and several of my medications list dizziness so I guess that's where I got that from.

[Sleepster]

For people who keep their CPAP machines in closets, and there are plenty of them as pointed out in the article, results like those reported in the article would be a good reason to take those pills.

People like us who use CPAP machines are not likely to be interested in less-effective alternatives.