Continuous Positive Airway Pressure and Acetazolamide to Treat Sleep Apnea Syndrome Patients at Altitude

• Status: Completed
• Trial end date: 2009-11-01
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

The purpose of the study is to investigate the effect of nasal continuous positive airway pressure in combination with acetazolamide as a treatment for sleep related breathing disturbances in patients with the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome living at low altitude during a sojourn at moderate altitude.

• Phase: Phase 4
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: No

Details

• Lead Sponsor: University of Zurich
• Treatments: Acetazolamide

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, successfully on CPAP therapy

• Residence at low altitude (< 800 m)

• Obstructive apnea/hypopnea index >20/h and a complaint of excessive daytime sleepiness before introduction of CPAP therapy

• > 15 oxygen desaturations/h (> 3% dips) during an ambulatory nocturnal pulse oximetry performed at the end of a 4-night period without CPAP

Exclusion Criteria:

• Sleep disorders other than OSA

• More than mild cardiovascular disease, unstable cardiovascular disease

• Any lung disease, pulmonary hypertension

• Chronic rhinitis

• Treatment with drugs that affect respiratory center drive (benzodiazepines or other sedatives or sleep inducing drugs, morphine or codeine derivates), stimulants (modafinil, methylphenidate, theophylline)

• Internal, neurologic or psychiatric disease that interfere with sleep quality

• Previous intolerance to moderate or low altitude (< 2600 m)

• Exposure to altitudes > 1500m for > 1 day within the last 4 weeks before the study