Drug – bio-affecting and body treating compositions – Designated organic active ingredient containing – Having -c- – wherein x is chalcogen – bonded directly to...
Patent
1998-09-21
2000-03-07
Jarvis, William R. A.
Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions
Designated organic active ingredient containing
Having -c-, wherein x is chalcogen, bonded directly to...
514490, 514351, 514620, 514642, 514335, 514483, 514643, 514297, 514141, 514114, 514365, 514353, 5142298, 514215, 514221, A61K 3140, A61K 3127, A61K 3144, A61K 31165, A61K 3155
Patent
active
060341173
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method of treating and diagnosing snoring, sleep apnea and other forms of sleep disordered breathing, and to a means for carrying out said method.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A basic requirement for breathing is the patency of the upper airway. This, of course, also holds true for breathing during sleep. It has recently been described that such patency--and thus breathing--may be partially or totally interrupted during sleep due to a collapse or obstruction of the upper airway; it should be observed that obstruction, in the context of the present invention, excludes obstruction by foreign objects or by material excreted by the body, such as mucus. In its simplest form partial upper airway collapse or obstruction is indicated by profound and vigorous snoring. More pronounced collapse or obstruction results in hypopnea, a condition in which airflow is reduced during inspiration with or without concomitant signs of hypoxemia. The condition of total collapse of the upper airway is referred to as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This condition is associated with repeated episodes of interrupted airflow in spite of inspiratory attempts, resulting in hypoxemia, hemodynamic changes and arousal from sleep. Sleep fragmentation, hypoxemia and/or other OSA-associated phenomena yet unidentified are likely to lead to typical daytime symptoms including hypersomnolence, cognitive disturbance, reduced working and driving performance, depression, and loss of memory. Moreover, cardiovascular complications, in particular hypertension, cardiac failure, myocardial infarction, and stroke have been associated with OSA. Such symptoms and complications are not confined to severe cases but also observed in cases of partial OSA.
The prevalence of OSA in the adult male population is in the order of 10-12%. The prevalence of OSA in combination with pronounced daytime symptoms is in the order of 1-3%. The prevalence of minor daytime symptoms induced by discrete sleep-related breathing disturbances is unknown. However, habitual snoring is a common phenomenon reported by 15-25% of the adult population.
The pathophysiology of OSA is virtually unknown. Though a number of predisposing factors have been identified, e.g. obesity, hypertrophied tissue in the upper airway (particularly in children), and short jaw, there is a large number of OSA-prone individuals lacking these factors.
The absence of observable aberrant anatomic factors, however, does not exclude a dynamic malfunction of the tongue and the upper airway dilating musculature. Such defects function may originate in the central nervous system, at the level of signal transmission to peripheral muscles or at the neuromuscular junction. It is well known and has been reported in literature that electromyographically recorded signals from the lingual muscles (submental EMG) may be attenuated or even disappear in association with obstructive apnea. This defective control seems to be particularly pronounced during sleep only, suggesting that central nervous, peripheral neural and/or neuromuscular control of the upper airway is particularly prone to be affected in this state.
The principal forms of treatment in OSA are surgery of the upper airway, intraoral mandibular advancement devices and long-term treatment with nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP). These methods of treatment are cumbersome and expensive. Various forms of pharmacological treatment, e.g. by administration of tricyclic antidepressants, theophylline, progesterone, have been employed but have not gained wide clinical use.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
As evident from the preceding description of the state of the art, there is a need for an improved method for treating snoring, sleep apnea and other forms of sleep disordered breathing. In particular, pharmacological treatment of such disorders would offer a definite advantage over of the invasive or non-invasive methods used at present, many of which only provide insufficient relief and some of which are c
REFERENCES:
patent: 5298504 (1994-03-01), Sommer et al.
Rupreht et al, Medline Abstracts, abstract No. 90000187, 1989.
Guilleminault et al, Embase Abstracts, abstract. No. 74009132, 1973.
Hedner Jan
Kraiczi Holger
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