• Richard B Berry and Prakash B Patel.
• Malcom Randall Veterans Administration Medical Center, Gainesville, FL, USA. sleep_doc@msn.com
• Sleep. 2006 Aug 1; 29 (8): 1052-6.

Study ObjectiveAssess the effect of the hypnotic zolpidem on the efficacy of nasal continuous positive airway pressure for treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea.DesignRandomized double blind placebo controlled, cross-over study.SettingVeterans Administration Medical Center.Patients16 patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea (apnea+ hypopnea index > 30/hr), on CPAP therapy for at least 6 months.InterventionThree sleep studies were performed over three consecutive weeks. On night one the pressure level required to prevent apnea, hypopnea, and snoring was determined. On the second and third study nights, either placebo (P) or 10 mg of zolpidem (Z) was given (random order) and subjects slept on the CPAP level determined on the first night.MeasurementsSleep architecture, apnea + hypopnea index, arterial oxygen saturation.ResultsThe sleep architecture was similar on the placebo and zolpidem nights except for a decrease in the sleep latency ( P: 23.5 +/- 4.7; Z: 13.1 +/- 3.3 minutes, P < 0.02) and a small decrease in the arousal index (P < 0.03) on zolpidem nights. The was no significant difference between placebo and zolpidem nights in the apnea + hypopnea index (P: 4.8 +/- 1.4 versus Z : 2.7 +/- 0.47 events/hour), oxygen desaturation index (1.46 +/- 0.53 versus 0.81 +/- 0.29 desaturations/hour), or the lowest SaO2 (91.4 +/- 0.6 versus 91.0 +/- 0.7%).ConclusionsAcute administration of zolpidem 10 mg does not impair the efficacy of an effective level of CPAP in patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea.

30 keywords...

hide…