This week Bobbi Conner talks with Dr. Andrea Rinn about new treatment for sleep apnea. Dr. Rinn is an Associate Professor in the College of Medicine and a physician in the Department of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine at MUSC.
TRANSCRIPT:
Conner: I'm Bobbi Conner for South Carolina Public Radio with Health Focus here at the radio studio for the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. It's estimated that 30 million people in the U.S. have sleep apnea, but most of these individuals may be unaware that they have this condition. Doctor Andrea Rinn is here to talk about sleep apnea and also new advances in treatment. Doctor Rinn is an Associate Professor in the College of Medicine, and she's a physician in the Department of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at MUSC. Doctor Rinn, first, tell us about sleep apnea.
Dr. Rinn: Sleep apnea is a breathing disorder that occurs only during sleep, where the throat collapses partially or fully, causing a pause in breathing. When the muscles of the throat relax too much in sleep, the airway can collapse and block air movement.
Conner: And what are the typical symptoms that someone might notice? And when does sleep apnea typically develop, at what age?
Dr. Rinn: Yeah, so the typical symptoms include snoring, gasping for air during sleep. Although most people are unaware that this is occurring. You can have some daytime sleepiness. But again, this can vary. Morning headaches are sometimes seen in people with sleep apnea and also trouble focusing. It tends to occur in all ages, but older adults are more likely to develop sleep apnea. It's also more common in people who are overweight, men more than women, and people with large necks or narrowed airways.
Conner: And why is it important to treat sleep apnea?
Dr. Rinn: Well, briefly, it causes interrupted sleep, and this can cause daytime sleepiness. It's been associated with cardiovascular risk. It's been associated with metabolic and hormonal effects, including the risk of diabetes and weight gain. It's also been associated with mental health issues and complications with surgery and medications.
Conner: How is this condition typically diagnosed?
Dr. Rinn: We tend to diagnose sleep apnea through either a home sleep apnea test or an in-lab sleep study.
Conner: Tell us about recent advances in treating this condition.
Dr. Rinn: So, the most recent treatment option for obstructive sleep apnea is a newly FDA approved medication called tirzepatide. The way that it's believed to work is through weight loss. It was studied on people who are both on and off CPAP and it showed a reduction in weight and also apneic events or sleep apnea numbers.
Conner: So really this is helping people to lose weight in many cases, which then improves this condition. Is that the connection?
Dr. Rinn: Correct. It is FDA approved for people who are overweight, who also have sleep apnea.
Conner: How do you decide which is the best treatment or the appropriate treatment for someone who has sleep apnea?
Dr. Rinn: While CPAP remains the gold standard for sleep apnea, alternative treatment options are definitely gaining speed. Further options for those that don't tolerate CPAP and for those that are not good candidates for CPAP include dental devices, surgical options and now an FDA approved medication for treated patients have to have moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea. They can take this medication on or off CPAP based on the research studies. And they also need to be overweight with a body mass index of 27 or above.
Conner: Doctor Rinn, thanks for this information about sleep apnea.
Dr. Rinn: You're welcome.
Conner: From the radio studio for the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, I'm Bobbi Conner for South Carolina Public Radio.
Health Focus transcripts are intended to accurately represent the original audio version of the program; however, some discrepancies or inaccuracies may exist. The audio format serves as the official record of Health Focus programming.
