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New and Unconventional Treatments for Obstructive Sleep Apnea

  • Published:
Neurotherapeutics

Summary

Although continuous positive airway pressure, oral appliances and surgical modifications of the airway are considered as part of the routine management of patients with obstructive sleep apnea, many new and unconventional therapies exist. Many of the trials using these new alternatives have been limited by insufficient data, poor trial design, small sample size, unclear inclusion criteria, lack of randomization, and lack of blinding, and on occasion are biased by retrospective design. Bariatric surgery, positional therapy, auto-titrating positive airway pressure, serotonin agents, wake promoting agents, genioglossus stimulation surgery, supplemental oxygen, nasal dilators, nasal expiratory resistor devices and oropharyngeal exercises will be reviewed. As obstructive sleep apnea impacts the individual and society at large, further research is needed to explore new therapeutic treatment options for obstructive sleep apnea. Therapeutic trials for obstructive sleep apnea must be of rigorous design to prove clinical effectiveness while taking into account both patient satisfaction and cost effectiveness.

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Abbreviations

CPAP:

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure

OSA:

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

AHI:

Apnea Hypopnea Index

APAP:

Auto-titrating Positive Airway Pressure

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Dr. Kimberly Hardin for her encouragement and support in writting the manuscript.

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This is not an industry supported study. The authors have indicated no financial conflicts of interest.

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  1. Jose Angelo A. De Dios

    Present address: The Medical Group, Carolina Pines Regional Medical Center, 701 Medical Park Drive, Suite 303, Hartsville, SC, 29550, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine, UC Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA, USA

    Jose Angelo A. De Dios

  2. Department of Neurology, UC Davis Health System, 4860 Y Street — Suite 3700, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA

    Steven D. Brass

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  1. Jose Angelo A. De Dios
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Correspondence to Steven D. Brass.

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De Dios, J.A.A., Brass, S.D. New and Unconventional Treatments for Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Neurotherapeutics 9, 702–709 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13311-012-0146-5

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