Drug Therapy in Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Abstract

There are several reasons to develop a pharmacologic remedy in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA); but so far, there is no generally effective drug available. Previous attempts to find a drug in OSA therapy were serendipity driven in small pilot trials. There is growing literature on phenotyping pathophysiologic mechanisms of OSA that may be exploited in strategic drug development programs. The current review addresses potential pitfalls encountered in previous studies and highlights several drug candidates under development in the field.

Keywords: Drug; Medication; Obstructive sleep apnea; Sleep; Therapy.