Goodlettsville Dental Services

Medications That May Help

In general, drugs have not been very beneficial except for specific situations. Medications that treat accompanying disorders associated with sleep apnea may be helpful. The following drugs may be helpful for certain patients:

• Modafinil (Provigil), which is also used to treat narcolepsy, was approved by the FDA in 2004 as the first drug to treat the sleepiness associated with obstructive sleep apnea. However, Provigil is meant to be used in combination with — not as a substitute for — standard apnea treatments such as CPAP. Sleep doctors stress that patients who take Provigil should adhere to CPAP treatment as the drug treats only the symptom of sleepiness, not the underlying obstructive sleep apnea. [Modafinil can cause rare, but serious, side effects such as life-threatening rash.
• Thyroid hormone may help sleep apnea in those with low thyroid (hypothyroidism).

Note on Sedatives. Sedatives, narcotics, and anti-anxiety drugs can actually worsen the breathing disturbances and arousal conditions that occur with sleep apnea. These substances cause the soft tissues in the throat to sag and diminish the body’s ability to inhale. Apnea sufferers should never use sleeping pills or tranquilizers. Apnea patients undergoing surgery should be sure that their surgeons, anesthesiologists, and other doctors are aware of their sleeping disorder in considering sedatives, anesthetics, and medications taken to relieve pain due to surgery.