To Treat Obstructive Sleep Apnea: “FDA Approves Weight Loss Drug Zepbound

The first prescription medicine approved to treat obstructive sleep apnea is Zepbound, a weight-loss medication.

For individuals with obesity and moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a common disorder that causes difficulty breathing while you sleep, the Food and Drug Administration approved the use of Zepbound, manufactured by Eli Lilly and Company . The government agency recommends using the medication in conjunction with a lower-calorie diet and more exercise. An obstruction of the upper airway causes sleep apnea. Although it may happen to anybody, overweight people are more likely to experience it.

According to the FDA, research has indicated that Zepbound improves some individuals with their sleep apnea symptoms by promoting weight reduction. According to the FDA, Zepbound recipients reported a "statistically significant and clinically meaningful reduction" in episodes of shallow breathing or brief pauses in breathing while they slept over a 52-week period in two studies involving adults with obesity and moderate to severe OSA.

In a statement, Dr. Sally Seymour, head of the Division of Pulmonology, Allergy, and Critical Care in the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said, "This is a major step forward for patients with obstructive sleep apnea."

Although it is not a solution for everyone, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) stated that it supports the FDA's approval of Zepbound as a sleep apnea treatment. "Although excess body weight is the major predisposing factor for sleep apnea, many cases of sleep apnea are related to other factors such as the structure of the jaw and upper airway," the organization stated in a statement on Saturday. According to the AASM, Zepbound users should be aware that for it to effectively treat the symptoms of sleep apnea, they must lose weight over time.

The FDA's clearance coincides with an increase in interest in the possible applications of weight-loss medications outside of the treatment of diabetes and obesity. There has been growing interest in investigating their potential to treat addiction and some types of cancer in addition to sleep apnea.

Research on the possible applications of this family of medications, known as GLP-1 agonists, is still in its infancy, although it was created twenty years ago. The FDA authorized Zepbound, also known as tirzepatide, in November 2023 for the treatment of obesity, making it a new rival to Novo Nordisk's popular Wegovy. Wegovy was licensed by the FDA in March of last year to help patients who are overweight lower their risk of heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular issues.