The study published in the New England Journal of Medicine highlighted the treatment's potential to improve the quality of life for millions of people affected by OSA around the world.
"This study marks an important milestone in the treatment of OSA and offers a promising new therapeutic option that addresses both respiratory and metabolic complications," said Dr. Atul Malhotra, senior author of the study and professor at UC San Diego Health.
OSA can cause low blood oxygen levels and increase the risk of cardiovascular problems such as hypertension and heart failure. Recent research, also led by Malhotra, suggests that there are approximately 936 million OSA patients worldwide.
The study included 469 participants diagnosed with clinical obesity and living with moderate to severe OSA.
Participants were given 10 or 15 mg of the drug by injection or a placebo. The impact of tirzepatide was evaluated over 52 weeks.
The researchers found that tirzepatide caused a significant reduction in the number of breathing interruptions during sleep, a key indicator used to measure the severity of OSA.
"This improvement was much greater than that observed in participants who received a placebo," the study mentioned.
Additionally, researchers noted that some participants taking the medication reached a point where CPAP therapy may not be necessary.
The therapy also improved other factors related to OSA, such as reducing cardiovascular disease risk factors and improving body weight.
"This new pharmacological treatment offers a more accessible alternative for people who cannot tolerate or adhere to existing therapies. We believe that the combination of CPAP therapy with weight loss will be optimal to improve cardiometabolic risk and symptoms," Malhotra stated.
"This study marks an important milestone in the treatment of OSA and offers a promising new therapeutic option that addresses both respiratory and metabolic complications," said Dr. Atul Malhotra, senior author of the study and professor at UC San Diego Health.
OSA can cause low blood oxygen levels and increase the risk of cardiovascular problems such as hypertension and heart failure. Recent research, also led by Malhotra, suggests that there are approximately 936 million OSA patients worldwide.
The study included 469 participants diagnosed with clinical obesity and living with moderate to severe OSA.
Participants were given 10 or 15 mg of the drug by injection or a placebo. The impact of tirzepatide was evaluated over 52 weeks.
The researchers found that tirzepatide caused a significant reduction in the number of breathing interruptions during sleep, a key indicator used to measure the severity of OSA.
"This improvement was much greater than that observed in participants who received a placebo," the study mentioned.
Additionally, researchers noted that some participants taking the medication reached a point where CPAP therapy may not be necessary.
The therapy also improved other factors related to OSA, such as reducing cardiovascular disease risk factors and improving body weight.
"This new pharmacological treatment offers a more accessible alternative for people who cannot tolerate or adhere to existing therapies. We believe that the combination of CPAP therapy with weight loss will be optimal to improve cardiometabolic risk and symptoms," Malhotra stated.