Combination Therapy to Treat Sleep Apnea

• Status: Completed
• Trial end date: 2014-12-01
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

In Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), the upper airway closes over and over again during sleep. This leads to disrupted sleep (waking up during the night), daytime sleepiness, and an increased risk for developing high blood pressure. Currently, the best treatment for obstructive sleep apnea is sleeping with a mask that continuously blows air into the nose (i.e. Continuous positive airway pressure [CPAP] treatment). While CPAP treatment stops the upper airway from closing in most people, many people have difficulty sleeping with the mask in place and therefore do not use the CPAP treatment. This research study is being conducted to learn whether using a combination of therapies (i.e. a sedative and oxygen therapy) will improve OSA severity by altering some of the traits that are responsible for the disorder.

• Phase: N/A
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: No

Details

• Lead Sponsor: Brigham and Women's Hospital
• Collaborator: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
• Treatments: Eszopiclone; Hypnotics and Sedatives

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• Ages 18 - 79 years

• Documented OSA (AHI > 10 events/hr Non rapid eye movement sleep supine)

• If treated then, current CPAP use (>4 hrs CPAP/night for > 2 months)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Any uncontrolled medical condition

• Any other sleep disorder (Periodic leg movement syndrome, restless legs syndrome, insomnia, etc.)

• Use of medications known to affect sleep/arousal, breathing, or muscle physiology

• Allergy to lidocaine or Afrin

• Claustrophobia

• Alcohol consumption within 24 hours of PSG