Sleep Disorders Health Center
Sleep Apnea - Medications
Doctors typically do not suggest medicines for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). But medicine can help reduce daytime sleepiness when continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is reducing apneas-the number of times you stop breathing at night-but daytime sleepiness continues.7, 13
Medication Choices
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved wakefulness-promoting medicines for people who are using CPAP but still have excessive daytime sleepiness:
If you have been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea -- a condition in which relaxation of the muscles around the tongue and throat causes the tissues to block airflow to the lungs while you sleep -- there are a number of treatment options to discuss with your doctor. Two of the most widely used and most effective are continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and dental appliances, or mouth guards.
Read the Mouth Devices for Sleep Apnea article > >
What To Think About
People with sleep apnea who take wakefulness-promoting medicines should continue using CPAP to treat sleep apnea.
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise
