A drug dubbed 'the King Kong' of weight loss jabs can also tackle a severe snoring condition that causes sufferers to stop breathing in their sleep, a new study reveals.
Researchers have discovered tirzepatide, sold under the brand name Mounjaro, can improve symptoms obstructive sleep apnoea, which affects up to 10 million Brits.
Currently the only treatment is a lifestyle overhaul or a CPAP machine which helps maintain an open airway at night.
But tirzepatide represents a 'significant milestone' in managing the condition, say experts.
Experts have discovered tirzepatide, sold under the brand name Mounjaro, can improve symptoms obstructive sleep apnoea, which affects up to 10 million Brits
The drug has already proven dramatically effective in controlling type 2 diabetes and for weight loss.
In trials, a third of type 2 diabetics on tirzepatide shed more than 20 per cent of their body weight after just over a year and saw their blood sugars brought in check.
The average person with obesity weighing 16.5 st (105 kg) lost 50 lb (23 kg) in 17 months.
This makes the treatment twice as effective as semaglutide jabs, better known as Ozempic and Wegovy.
When early results from tirzepatide studies were announced at a medical conference in 2018, Dallas-based diabetes expert Dr Julio Rosenstock said he'd nicknamed semaglutide, sold under brand name Ozempic, as 'the gorilla' because it had been the most potent drug of its kind until then.
'But tirzepatide is really King Kong,' he added.
For the new trial, researchers recruited 469 participants diagnosed with obesity and living with moderate-to-severe sleep apnoea.
They were given either 10mg or 15mg of the drug by injection or a placebo once a week, and were followed for around a year.
Analysis revealed that Mounjaro led to a significant decrease in the number of breathing interruptions during sleep – a key indicator used to measure the severity of sleep apnoea.
Participants that took the drug experienced up to 30 fewer events per hour – a reduction of nearly two-thirds – compared to the placebo.
Star Wars actress Carrie Fisher's death in 2016 was partly attributed to severe sleep apnoea along with heart disease, according to her autopsy report
Although effective, CPAP machines — which typically a face mask attached to an oxygen cannister via a tube, supplying oxgyen at a continuous pressure in order to assure breathing — are uncomfortable.
Some participants that took the drug even reached a point where CPAP therapy might no longer be necessary.
Obstructive sleep apnoea is a serious condition, typically linked to obesity, in which the tissues at the back of the throat 'collapse' during sleep, blocking the airways.
Along with interruptions in sleep, sufferers are known to have an increased risk of heart problems due to the stress breathing interruptions put on the body.
Star Wars actress Carrie Fisher's death in 2016 was partly attributed to severe sleep apnoea along with heart disease, according to her autopsy report.
Although effective, CPAP machines — which typically a face mask attached to an oxygen cannister via a tube, supplying oxgyen at a continuous pressure in order to assure breathing — are uncomfortable.
Tirzepatide also led to an improved body weight and a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
Lead author Atul Malhotra said: 'This study marks a significant milestone in the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea, offering a promising new therapeutic option that addresses both respiratory and metabolic complications.
'Historically, treating sleep apnea meant using devices during sleep, like a CPAP machine, to alleviate breathing difficulties and symptoms.
'However, its effectiveness relies on consistent use. This new drug treatment offers a more accessible alternative for individuals who cannot tolerate or adhere to existing therapies.'
The drug is manufactured by pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly.
Dr Kunal Gulati, Lilly's executive director of diabetes and obesity medical affairs, said: 'Obstructive sleep apnoea is a sleep-related breathing disorder involving episodes of complete or partial collapse of the upper airway during sleep, which interrupt the body's oxygen supply.
'It's estimated that up to 3 million people in the UK may have obstructive sleep apnea but have not yet been diagnosed.
'Tirzepatide has the potential to be the first pharmaceutical treatment… which could address the unmet need for people living with this condition.'
The findings were published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNOEA
Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) occurs when the walls of a person's throat relax and narrow during sleep, blocking their airways.
This interrupts normal breathing, with symptoms including loud snoring, noisy and laboured breathing, and repeated episodes when breathing is interrupted by gasping and snorting.
OSA affects between four and 10 per cent of people in the UK.In the US, around 22 million are affected.
During an episode, the lack of oxygen triggers a sufferer's brain to pull them out of deep sleep so their airways reopen.
These repeated sleep interruptions can make the person very tired, with them often being unaware of what the problem is.
Risks for OSA include:
- Being overweight - excess body fat increases the bulk of soft tissues in the neck
- Being male
- Being 40 or over
- Having a large neck
- Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol
- Being in the menopause - hormonal changes cause the throat muscles to relax
Treatment includes lifestyle changes, such as loosing weight, if necessary, and avoiding alcohol.
In addition, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) devices prevent the airway closing by delivering a continuous supply of compressed air through a mask.
A mandibular advancement device (MAD) can also be used, which is like a gum-shield that holds the jaw and tongue forward to increase the space at the back of the throat.
Untreated, OSA increases a person's risk of high blood pressure, stroke, heart attacks and type 2 diabetes.
Source: NHS
