Drug Battling Daytime Sleepiness Discovered by Scientists

A group of scientists in Canada has uncovered a drug that battles daytime sleepiness and beats your regular espresso. These researchers conducted studies that looked at how well three different anti-fatigue medicines worked to fight off daytime drowsiness.

The medicines were tested on people who were already using treatments like the positive airway pressure (PAP) mask for obstructive sleep apnea. The results were quite interesting.

Research on people with a condition of sleep apnea

Sleep apnea is a widespread sleep problem which interrupts breathing during sleep. This can be quite risky because it may lead to a drop in the oxygen your body needs. The most common type of this condition is called “obstructive sleep apnea.”

For moderate to severe sleep apnea, positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy, during which a machine delivers a constant stream of air pressure to keep the airway open, is often recommended. In some cases, surgery may be necessary to remove excess tissue blocking the airway.

The researchers took a close look at fourteen clinical trials that involved 3,085 people dealing with obstructive sleep apnea and the problem of being too sleepy during the day. They aimed to determine how effectively three different drugs for fighting fatigue, solriamfetol, armodafinil-modafinil, and pitolisant, worked.

All three of these drugs were better at reducing the patients’ tiredness compared to a fake drug (placebo). Among them, solriamfetol was the most effective in tackling the problem.

Questionnaires to determine tiredness

To figure out how tired participants were, they used questionnaires requiring participants to report their own feelings and a test called the “Maintenance of Wakefulness Test” (MWT). This test checks how awake a person is during the day.

It’s done by having the person try to stay awake in a room with low lighting while sensors keep track of their vital signs such as heart rate and breathing.

Results of the study of drug that battles daytime sleepiness

Armodafinil-modafinil and pitolisant were discovered to very likely make people more awake after taking them for about a month. However, the scientists did mention that these drugs might have some side effects that people need to be mindful of.

Bits and Pieces:

Solriamfetol (Sunosi), indicated for daytime drowsiness of narcolepsy or from sleep apnea, seems to improve adult ADHD—this from a small Mass General trial. Solriamfetol, a dopamine-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, shares some properties of current ADHD meds. pic.twitter.com/ORUYDzmbcw

— PharmacyPhunQuiz (@PhunQuiz) October 14, 2023

For instance, Solriamfetol, which is sold under the brand name SUNOSI, could cause an increase in blood pressure. The study that revealed this was published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.

According to the manufacturers of Solriamfetol, it can keep you alert for up to nine hours. In comparison, effects of caffeine probably wear off after about four to six hours.